Sister in Red
by Perdition Raiser
Summary: Patrick Jane finds that he's got a sister. what? yeah. a sister. how does he deal with it? alsooo, some Jisbon later on and stuffs. disclaimer: i don't own the mentalist. there's now way i couldve come up with something so awesome on my own...humor drama and romance my friends.
1. Chapter 1

**SISTER IN RED.**

**Summary: Patrick Jane is not as alone as he thought he was, but how does he deal with it?**

**This is my first story. Ever. Hope you like it. #theMentalist.**

Patrick was lying on his couch in the CBI office as he always did after having case closed donuts and a cup of tea. He was tired. It was a particularly long case and he was genuinely exhausted. Lisbon was leaving and soon he'd go up to his office in the attic and sleep through the night on his little cot. It was better then sleeping at home.

"You staying here tonight Jane?" Lisbon asked nudging his arm with her knee.

"Indeed I am." He said smiling at her drearily.

"Well, then I'll see you tomorrow, Jane." She said as her footsteps echoed toward the elevator.

"Goodbye Lisbon" he said quietly and slowly stood, and then stretched. It's too bad he couldn't bring this couch up to his office… it was much better for his back then his make-shift bed. He took the stairs up to the top floor. Oh, how beautiful California is at night. The big display window in his office gave him the view of the city, it opened up before him. The sky and stars were ready to swallow him into unconsciousness. He removed his blue suit jacket and unbuttoned his vest. Removing his shoes he slipped under the thin blanket, shivered for a moment and then fell right to sleep. He dreamed of family and bloody smiley faces.

He woke the next morning when a beam of sunlight fell across his face and sent warmth through his body. His clothes were damp with sweat, he'd had nightmares. Again. He'd become accustomed to them, and didn't think anything of it. It was routine. He removed a towel, and a new suit from a drawer in his desk and went to shower in the CBI showers. Letting the hot water run onto his neck and down his torso he was able to relax. Lisbon would be here soon, and then Cho and Rigsby and Vanpelt. His friends. He smiled to himself. He enjoyed their company, and he's become close to them in the search for Red John. They were his new family, and he'd do anything for them, because they'd already shown that they'd do anything for him.

He sat on his couch and let the cup of tea warm his fingers. Today would most likely be dreary and boring because there was no case and he didn't have paperwork to do. He was just a consultant. He knew he'd end up on Lisbon's couch, talking to her about whatever came to mind. Either that or tormenting Rigsby, which he enjoyed doing immensely. Rigsby was the perfect mark, and he never got tired of teasing him. Setting his tea cup in the sink of the break room he heard Lisbon come in off of the elevator.

"Lisbon! In here Lisbon!" he called.

"Oh, hi Jane." She said smiling at him, "Have a good night's sleep?" she asked. He nodded. They both knew that she already knew the answer to that question and purely asked out of politeness.

"And how did you sleep, my dear Lisbon?" Jane asked as they walked into her office. She hung up her coat on the coat rack in the corner and set her travel mug, that was most likely filled with coffee, on her desk as she sat down. Jane spread out on his back across her couch with his hands behind his head.

"It was pretty good. Accept for this annoying stray cat that keeps scratching a meowing at my back door." She complained.

"Oh? And why didn't you just let the cat inside?" he asked simply.

"Because, Jane, I do not want a cat. I already have enough pets to take care of." He grinned, he knew that she was referring to the team. How sweet.

"Are you saying that you think of us as animals?" he asked with a fake incredulous tone in his voice.

"Maybe not Vanpelt and Cho, but the way Rigsby eats and the way that you cause trouble, yes." They laughed. Their laughter was full of warmth and happiness and it filled the room. It was pleasant for Patrick. Laughing with a friend, as if there were no worries in the world. He knew that Lisbon felt the same way. It was comforting to know that.

Jane was in the middle of showing Rigsby a card trick when the secretary entered the CBI crimes unit offices.

"Mr. Jane?" she asked. He set the cards on Rigsby's desk, leaving him to ponder how he's guessed every card that was held up to his forehead.

"Umm.. Yes?" he asked chuckling at Rigsby.

"There's a young girl at the front desk. She's telling me that she knows you, that she needs to speak with you." She said a little curiously. Huh. Patrick didn't know any young girls, at least he didn't think he did. If this has to do with Red John…

"Send her in." he said solemnly. A teen girl walked in. She looked to be about 17, a year older then the age Charlotte would be. She was wearing a baggy red t-shirt, with jeans that showed how thin her legs were. She was extremely slender and small, but she didn't look particularly unhealthy. She had high cheek bones, pale but soft skin. Her hair was short, in a pixie cut, blonde, a set of curls on her head. She had a small nose that was turned up just a bit and her ears were thin and almost pointed. She looked almost elfin. There was a small amount of blue eye-liner under her eyes that emphasized her startlingly blue eyes.

"Are-are you Pat-Patrick Jane?" she asked nervously, almost urgently. A wild look in her eyes.

"Yes." Jane said softly, "Who are you?"

"Well, you've got to promise to hear me out. Cause you may not believe me when I tell you why I'm here." She said quickly.

"Alright. Alright. Come over here and sit on the couch. Just take your time, and tell me why you're here." He said soothingly, waving her forward. She nodded, fiddling with her fingers, and sat down next to Jane.

"You see, I'm fr-from a carnival outside town. No-not the one you're from, but we know who you are. You-you're a legend." She said smiling. Patrick grinned.

"Oh really?" how nice to know that he's appreciated outside the CBI.

"Yeah and umm, well you see my mother died when I was 7, she fell while performing a trapeze stunt. I've been with my father ever since, but umm, he was a lot older then my mom, and he- he uhh, had a heart-attack yesterday." She said, choking up a little.

"Well, I'm sorry for your loss." He said comfortingly, and resting his hand on her shoulder. "But what has this got to do with me?"

"Well, I don't have anyone else in the carnival, we're not close knit like other carnies. Its every man for himself, and I was told to go find my next of kin." She explained slowly.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't follow…" Jane said puzzled. The entire team was standing around them now. Listening intently.

"Patrick, my father, he was- he was your father. I'm your half-sister Patrick. My name is Lizzy Jane."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Patrick looked at her in absolute shock when she told him that she was his half-sister. She knew that he would. Who wouldn't be in shock and disbelief when they find out that they have a sister that's young enough to be their daughter that they had absolutely no idea about? He quickly hid his reaction though. Probably because he didn't want to hurt to hurt her feelings, but she didn't mind.

She was now curled up in the corner of Jane's couch, waiting for the DNA test to come back. They offered to perform it right there in the CBI building. She was a little shaken up because she had a horrible phobia of needles. They wanted to use blood, because it was the most accurate.

It was cold in the office so Rigsby gave her his jacket when he noticed her shivering. It was a nice gesture, it made her smile. They were all just kind of sitting around in a circle, surrounding the couch where she sat. Waiting. It was tiresome, and she was anxious. What if they really weren't related? Where would she go? A foster home? And what if they were related…where would they go from there? She could tell from the first time she saw Patrick that he kept feelings hidden from the one's that cared about him. Not unlike herself.

Stop. You're just making yourself think that you're similar, she thought. Even if you are alike that doesn't mean he'll take you in. You have no idea what's going to happen next.

She looked up at the sound of footsteps. Patrick was walking over to the couch after locking himself inside Ms. Lisbon's office for a half an hour. He wanted to think. He sat down on the edge of the couch, with a good amount of space between them. He leaned in a little closer.

"Lizzy, what do you see?" he asked smiling. She looked at him in surprise. What did she see? What was he getting at? And why was he smiling…? Ohh… what did she _see_.

Looking around the office, never moving from her position on the couch, she took it all in. Her eyes darted in every direction like a cat watching a bird. She looked at Patrick, questioning if she should speak.

"Tell me a secret." He said grinning. She giggled. She closed her eyes and listened to the deep nervous breathing of Rigsby and Ms. Lisbon. The calm and soothing breathing of Patrick. She listened to the clicking of each nail as Ms Vanpelt typed at her desk, and she could feel the unblinking stair of Cho. She liked Cho.

"Rigsby and Ms. Vanpelt were once emotionally involved," I said slowly, looking at them. They looked at each other in shock. How was it not obvious? Everything about them screamed "we had a relationship!". They were a little awkward around one another, but you could tell they still cared for each other. They were comfortable with each other too, they enjoyed one another's presence.

"And even though they're not anymore, they still have feelings for each other." She explained, looking up at all of the adults surrounding her.

"Wha- how'd you know that?" Rigsby asked astonished.

"Oh come on Rigsby, that's obvious to anyone. Its not that impressive." Cho said, dead pan. She lifted an eye brow at Cho and then looked at Patrick. He nodded, as if giving her permission to analyze his coworkers.

"Ms Lisbon has been through a lot." She started, "But you can tell that she cares about you, all of you, even if her own family problems make her angry and bitter. You've taken almost a parenting roll with your team haven't you Ms. Lisbon? Not just because you're the boss but because you're accustomed to that roll." She said quietly but clearly.

Lisbon was speechless. Her mouth opened to say something but no words left her throat. Patrick chuckled. Lizzy smiled. Just hearing the surprise and respect in his laughter, warmed her inside. Looking over at Cho, he nodded and the corner of his mouth lifted just a little. She has surprised him as well.

"Well, Jane, looks like there might be some competition for your job" Ms. Vanpelt said laughing lightly.

"Not quite, Grace. She still has a lot to learn." He said. You could practically see the gears in his head working, he was thinking so loud she was almost surprised that smoke wasn't emitting from his ears.

But she was the only one who noticed. She was usually the only one who noticed things, but now, Patrick noticed things too.

She really hoped that he was her older brother, even if he is 40, and will be bossy and protective. In fact that is what she _wants_. She wants someone in her life that actually cares about where she goes, how she spends her nights, or what she eats for breakfast.

Her father, correction, _their_ father never cared for her that way. He was old and grumpy and mean. After her mother died he just left, mentally. Physically he was still there but in his mind he was in a whole different place.

That's how she found out about Patrick. Their father talked, and sometimes yelled in his sleep about his son. How his son had left him and now he was stuck with a daughter who wasn't good enough.

Tears welled in her eyes. She wasn't sad because of her father's death, she was sad because she didn't know what was going to happen to her. Yes she was almost 17, but she'd never lived outside the carnival. She didn't know how to survive on her own, in the real world. She only knew how to survive in the fair, where everyone was a cheat and everything was a lie.

A tear spilled over and slid down her right cheek, and she quickly brushed it away when she realized that she'd been sitting in silence for five minutes and they were all staring at her.

Why do people stare? It only makes things more uncomfortable.

"Are you all right sweety?" Ms. Lisbon asked, bending down so that she could see my face, she brushed away a second tear from my cheek. I stopped crying.

"Umm, Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." I lied. My lie was solid and Ms. Lisbon backed away. They had no reason to believe anything other then truth. But Patrick saw right through it. He looked at me and his gaze shattered the glass wall I'd put up to hide the truth. I looked away.

"So how long does the DNA test take anyways?" Cho asked breaking the silence with a question I knew everyone else was afraid to ask. She really liked Cho.

"The guy upstairs said it would take around two hours, so there's around a half an hour left." Ms. Vanpelt answered.

That half an hour was probably the longest half an hour that she'd ever experience. To her it felt like days, as the minutes passed. You could tell that the other's felt the same way. Every once in a while someone would get up to use the bathroom, or check their email. Patrick made himself and Lizzy a cup of tea. She welcomed the cup, taking it greedily. She loved tea.

Just as she was finishing the last of the brew, and setting the tea cup onto Rigsby's desk a small thin man with a large adam's apple and beady eyes came running into the office.

"Mr. Jane? The test results are confirmed. She is your half-sister."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Sitting on his couch he looked over at Lizzy, curled up in the corner, with her legs tucked up to her chest, arms wrapped around them, her chin resting on her knees. Rigsby's large leather bomber jacket splayed over her shoulders, she looked even smaller then she really was.

All of a sudden he felt the urge to wrap her in a protective hug, keeping her from all harm…

No Patrick. What if she really wasn't related to him? He couldn't get close to someone anyways, not with Red John still out there, lurking in Jane's shadow. He already puts the team in danger because of his depressing obsession to avenge his family. He couldn't add another person to the mix…

But, he knew she was his sister. As soon as she's said it, he knew it was the truth. How could she not be? The cheek bones, her eyes, and not to mention the curly blonde mass of hair that sat on her small head. It was almost identical to his own, the only difference was that hers was shorter and it covered her forehead unlike his, which was parted on the side.

Then there was the fact that she was almost the complete female version of him personality wise. She knew his tricks, not well, but she knew them. Other then his arrogance, slight conceded manner, (okay not slight) and the horrid revenge that plagues his dreams, they were the same.

You could tell that she so desperately wished him to be her brother, well at least he could. Not because she liked Jane, she barely new him, but because she needed someone. And he was all she had left. He felt sorry for her. Terribly sad in fact.

Even if she wasn't his sister, he'd probably find a way to be there for her in some way. He liked her very much. She'd already fooled Rigsby with two card tricks that he hadn't even known, and won a staring contest against Cho. _Cho. _Only one person had ever done that, and Jane wasn't sure that anyone other then himself could. It was quite a feet, and it even made ol' Kimball smile.

Then the scrawny, mouse looking man from the DNA department rushed in with the results.

"Mr. Jane? The test results are in. She is your half sister." Lisbon nodded to him and motioned for him to leave, and then nodded towards the door. Signaling for the team to leave Patrick and his newly found sister alone. Once they'd all left Jane turned to look at her. Lizzy was avoiding his gaze. He could understand why. She's confirmed that a random stranger is her brother and she doesn't know what to say or do.

He might as well speak first…. He had a sister. How exciting.

"Lizzy?" he asked, nudging her elbow with his index finger. She didn't reply but just looked up at him slowly, waiting for him to continue.

"Would you like to live with me?" he asked slowly, a grin spreading across his face. He was ready for this. He wanted family in his life, his real, blood in their veins family.

She smiled and her eyes welled with tears, but they didn't spill over quite yet. She nodded vigorously.

"Really Patrick?" she asked, opening her legs and standing.

"Really".

And then her arms were wrapped around his waste, tight and full of love and acceptance. His arms flailed at his sides for a moment, surprised by the action but then he folded them around her. Holding her close, letting her no that she wasn't alone anymore.

He removed he thin arms and held her at arms length. Looking down at her he said, "Now if this is gonna work your going to have to be open about a few things." She nodded grinning from ear to ear.

"I don't have the best living situations, we'll either be sleeping here or in a motel, I'm not quite ready to go home just yet…"

"I know." She said solemnly.

"You know?" he asked surprised.

"Our father kept tabs on you, and he talked in his sleep…a lot." She said slowly, a flash of hatred and sadness crept into her eyes, but vanished instantly.

"Alright.." he continues, "I can't say that I'll be the best provider for you. I can't guarantee you that. All I can say is that I'll be better then our father ever was." They smiled, understanding each other.

His arms dropped from her shoulders and they went back to the couch.

"I have some conditions too ya know." She said slowly.

"Oh really? Enlighten me." He said curiously.

"Well, first things first. i'm not going to school. I've never gone to school and there's no point in starting now when I'll be seventeen in just a month." She explained.

"that's not a problem. I never went to school either, when's your birthday?" he asked.

"June 27th." She answered.

"And what would you like for your birthday?" he asked.

"Well, umm.. that's another condition. I don't want you to feel like you have to get me presents. I've never gotten them and not getting them now doesn't make a difference." She said slowly.

"Oh, but it does, Lizzy, my dear. It does. Plus, I want to get you a present. So, what do you want?" he asked again. She thought for a moment. Looked up at him smiling down at her.

"I want three things." She said, "But there not something you can buy.." she hesitated.

"Well, out with it!" Jane said impatiently.

"I want… free hugs. Anytime, if I ever need a hug, I want to hug you. I never really got hugs before.." she said looking down at her shoes.

"that is not a problem!" he said happily and wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight until she couldn't breath. She giggled.

"I also want to go to the beach on my birthday. I love the beach."

"what a coincidence. I just happen to love the beach too." He said smiling. This brother sister thing was going to work, he thought. He's already found that just talking with her is healing over some wounds that he never thought would scar over.

"and the third thing that I want is… is for you to teach me." She said simply. If it were any other person that she'd said that too, they would have no idea what she was on about. But he new. He was the Mentalist, and she wished to be his apprentice. He smiled. Not a warm smile per say, but a knowing smile.

"Well, done and done young Paduon. That present can start early, a long with the hug one of course." He said comically, but seriously at the same time.

She beamed at him. This was the start of a new life for her, and he was going to do the best he could to make it better then her previous one.

Jane usually wasn't one to express his emotions so openly to anyone, but standing in the CBI crimes unit with his sister… he found that he just couldn't contain himself. there was something about this young girl that made him giddy and happy to be alive. He realized that it was love. It was quick for him to realize that he loved someone, let alone someone he just met. That made him smile.

"You guys can come back in now! I know your listening!" he shouted to the others outside.

They walked in grinning, happiness showing on their faces.

"So, what are we gonna call you? Little Jane?" Rigsby asked chortling. The rest of the team laughed and it filled the room with warmth.

"You can call me what ever you'd like. I prefer Lizzy, but just don't call me Jane. You'll get us mixed up." She said grinning up at him. Rigsby and the rest of the team looked at Patrick in confusion.

"Lizzy, is going to be my apprentice." Jane said simply.

"She certainly seems qualified enough for it." Grace said, remembering her very Patrick Jane like stunt earlier.

She smiled at them and Jane took her hand, like a father would when helping his daughter cross a busy street.

"Well, Lizzy, welcome to the family." Lisbon said. In that moment, hearing Lisbon call them a family, it warmed Patrick's heart. Happiness swelled inside him like a hot air balloon. They were all a family, and his family was accepting his new family, even though they'd only just met her hours before. For the first time in a long time, Patrick Jane didn't feel alone.

…

That night, Patrick went out and bought an air mattress for Lizzy that he laid down next to his cot in the attic of the CBI. He smiled as she appreciated the view and his little office that was away from everyone else.

"You know, this is much nicer then the crappy trailer I lived in.." she said making conversation as Jane fixed sheets onto her new bed.

"Must've been a pretty horrid contraption." He mused.

"Well, father told me that it was the only one he'd ever owned" she explained. He looked up at her. She lived in their trailer. The one that he grew up in.

"Ah,.. that thing. Your right it is much nicer." He hesitated then asked, "What did you mean by him keeping tabs on me?"

"Oh, well umm… I kind of just assumed that. After my mom died, he kind of lost it. He was always mumbling to himself about his son Patrick who left him alone. He would always check in a news paper or ask around to see if anyone had heard anything about you. He talked about you in his sleep… wishing you were there instead of me." She said quietly, looking down in shame.

"And why would he wish such a thing?" Jane asked incredulously.

"Because, Patrick. You were his boy wonder, and me… I was just his disappointment. And don't try comforting me by saying that he loved me, because I know that he didn't. He loved you, and he loved my mother, but he hated me. You could see it in his eyes every time I walked into his line of vision. I was a mistake, and if he could've made enough money with out me, he would have abandoned me right after she died." Lizzy explained bitterly. Her voice was lined with hatred and sadness.

"I believe you." Patrick whispered. He felt his throat tighten, and his eyes water. How could anyone not love this little girl? She was sweet and innocent and pure. But she was damaged. They both were.

"So his talking in his sleep, is how you found out about me?" he asked trying to make the mood lighter.

"Well I was around 8 years old at the time. And an old newspaper had come into his possession. It was from a few years before that, and your name was on the front page…" she said hesitantly, "Father was gripping it in his hands and screaming your name. I had to wake him and put him to bed to stop him from yelling. I read the article about umm…"

"My family being murdered by Red John.." Patrick said. Dead pan, and solemn. She winced at the serial killers name. it made her sad, he noticed.

"Yeah… Patrick you're trying to catch him right?" she asked.

"Not just catch him. Punish him." Jane said with a wild and sad look in his eyes.

"Well, I want to help in any way I can. I know I can't offer much but they were my family too. Even though I didn't know them… I feel a connection with them, because I have a connection with you." She said bravely.

Patrick smiled. "What I want you to do is to stay away from anything other then myself that involves Red John. If he finds out that I have a sister he'll only use you to get to me. That's how you can help." He explained.

"Okay" she nodded, "Would they have liked me?" she asked crawling under the blankets still wearing Rigsby's jacket. He'd told her that she could keep it, because he had another one. The leather would keep her warm if she got cold.

"Oh yes. They would have loved you. You're about the same age my daughter would be, you would've been the best of friends." he said smiling down at her sadly from his little cot.

After a few moments of silence he heard her ask one more question.

"Patrick, will you hold my hand?"

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"Because I want to protect you from your nightmares."

That was the first dreamless sleep that Patrick Jane had experienced in a decade.


	4. Chapter 4

**So, in the other 3 chapters I have a few typos and stuff, and accidentally got from third person to first person. Its supposed to be in third person! Switching from Lizzy to Patrick. **

**Also, I have a hard time keeping with the same tense, so bare with me. **

**Chapter 4. **

The next two weeks were probably the best two weeks of Lizzy's life. Ever. Her and Jane practically lived at the CBI, but occasionally they would go to a nice motel. She didn't mind though. She wasn't about to try and force Patrick into going home, where he'd most likely become sad, angry, and shut off from the world.

She didn't want to see that Patrick just yet, or at any time really. She liked the Patrick that she knew now. He was gentle, funny, protective, and warm, but sometimes sad or grief stricken with guilt. He had a damaged soul, but so did she. Not nearly as damaged as his, but damaged enough. Scarred with lack of love, and hatred for her father.

They spent lots of time together. He started teaching her his mentalist ways. It was exhilarating for her. They'd walk through the building when they didn't have a case and he'd ask her questions like, "why do you think he's been reading that newspaper for so long?" or "why do you think Rigsby skipped lunch?"

She would normally come up with a correct enough answer but he always had something to add, whether it be a small detail that she overlooked or something that she could have inferred.

She didn't mind being corrected by Patrick, he was always nice about it, and would make her figure it out on her own. With her father it was much different. He would get angry with her whenever she was wrong, he would tell her the answer in a way that made her feel stupid and useless.

The day after she came to the CBI, Patrick took most of the day off to buy her some knew clothes. She'd left everything else she owned at the carnival which meant that someone had probably already stolen it. The only thing other then clothes on her back that she did take was the locket she kept around her neck with a picture of her mother in it.

They bought her some skinny jeans, t-shirts, 2 hooded sweat shirts and 2 pairs of sweat pants. Although it was May in California the air conditioning got cold in the CBI, which is also why she wore Rigsby's jacket almost everyday. He always smiled when he saw her wearing it.

She'd also gotten some shorts for the particular warm days, and Patrick had made her buy a dress for nice occasions even though she didn't enjoy wearing things like that.

When they got back to the CBI from shopping Lisbon had told them that Bertram wanted to see her and Patrick in his office. She was absolutely terrified. She was afraid that this director person was going to make her leave because she was a teenager, because she wasn't qualified for anything. But when she saw him sitting across from them she knew that he just wanted to talk. The way the he shifted away from Patrick when they entered his office showed her that he didn't like Patrick, but he wasn't going to do anything mean. She relaxed.

"Jane, would you care to explain your situation please?" he asked.

"Oh, well this here is my younger sister Lizzy." Patrick said patting her head.

"Your sister?" he asked surprised, his voice full of disbelief, "you have a sister?"

"Yes, I do. But I assure I only found out about this yesterday morning." Patrick said smiling softly. And then they continued conversing about how she was going to be living with him, and her apprentice position with him.

"Apprentice? Are you sure that's what you want?" he asked her.

"Oh yes, Mr. Bertram. Patrick has been teaching me his,… techniques based on where I left off with our father." She explained, "and the dead bodies wont bother me. For a while I lived in a funeral home when my father was paying off gambling debts."

"I see, but the bodies wont be so well, preserved when you see them here." He said gently.

"I'll be okay" she assured him, her face becoming as unreadable as stone. Bertram nodded and let them leave. That man irked her to know end. He was too nosey for his own good, director or not.

Other then Bertram she'd become very close with the rest of the team. Especially Rigsby. She enjoyed his company, and Patrick had told her to practice on him. He was a great mark, but she never teased him, and showed him how things worked when he asked. That's probably why he liked her so much as well. She wasn't mean like Patrick was. That made her laugh to herself.

In the beginning of her stay with Patrick they had refrained from swearing or talking about a case that involved some kind of profanity, but eventually Patrick told them not to worry about it. They were themselves again. They didn't necessarily treat her like an adult but they didn't treat her like a child. She respected and liked them for it. She felt at home and part of something.

About a week and a half since she found Patrick they got a case, which was her first case. She was sitting on the couch, tying her black high-top converse when Patrick came running over to her, excitement filled his face.

"We've got a case!" he said smiling down at me.

"You know that's not exactly something to be happy about. It means someone's been murdered." Grace said from her computer. Grace had told her that she could call her by her first name, she liked it better then Vanpelt.

Patrick and Lizzy laughed together.

"Yes I know that. That's not why I'm excited my dear Grace. I'm excited because it's Lizzy's first case and I get to see her put her skills to the test." Patrick said draping his arm around Lizzy's shoulders and pulling her into his side. She looked up at him, smiling.

"I see," Grace said nodding and then grabbed her gun and her badge, and headed for the elevator. Patrick and Lizzy followed in suit. As they were reaching the elevator doors Lisbon came rushing toward them.

"Hey, I don't know if it's such a great idea for her to be on this one." She said to Patrick.

"Why not?" Patrick and Lizzy asked at the same time.

"Well… the body is kind of… mangled." She said hesitantly.

"That's alright." Lizzy said looking up at Lisbon, "I think I can handle it." And they all walked into the elevator.

They reached the crime scene, and headed over to Cho and Rigbsy who got the witness statements.

"Heyy!" Rigbsy said when he saw her, "Ready for your first case?" he asked her while fake punching her in the stomach.

She giggled, "Yeah, I'm ready, a little nervous, but I'm ready." Cho rubbed her head, and her curls fell back into place immediately. Patrick caught up with her and they pointed them and Lisbon to the body.

Beneath some trees in the woods was the body of a young man, in his twenties. Half of face was gone and he was missing his left hand. The smell wasn't as bad as she though it would be, but maybe that was because there was a lilac bush nearby…

"Well, this is Donald Green. Age 25, went missing a few days ago." The Sheriff said to Lisbon. Patrick walked up to Lisbon then, with Lizzy standing behind him, out view from the sheriff.

"Hey Jane." She said, and at his name the Sherriff's head snapped up, and he released a sigh of annoyance. Jane chuckled. He obviously doesn't like my brother… Lizzy thought.

She peaked around Patrick to get a good look at the body. All the said was "Ew." And Lisbon smiled.

"She's obviously better at handling bodies for the first time, compared to when you saw your first body with us." She said laughing.

"I resent that." He said smiling. Lizzy giggled and walked with Patrick over to the body for a closer look.

"Hey! Whoa! What's with the kid?" asked the Sheriff, coming over to take her away from the body. Lizzy turned around before he could and danced out of his reach.

"She's with us. She's Jane's little sister, and she's studying to be a consultant like him." Lisbon said reassuring him.

The Sheriff looked at Lizzy, taking in her tiny form with Rigsby's huge leather jacket on, and her scuffed up converse. She probably just looked like another trouble maker. "Agent Lisbon I hardly think this is the place for a little girl.." the Sheriff began.

"I am not a _little_ girl, although I may seem so because of my small size. I'm almost 17 years old and I can probably find out more from this dead body then you could from him if he were alive and talking to you." She interrupted him.

Patrick chuckled, "Well said."

"But Agent Lisbon.." the Sheriff protested.

"Hey, just give her a try. She's almost as good as Jane ya know." Lisbon said defending her.

"That does not make me feel any better.." the Sheriff mused.

"Do not doubt her mad skillz." Patrick said comically.

She bent over the body, sniffing it, and examining it without touching a single hair. Patrick leaned down next to her, doing the same. The sheriff looked on in doubt and annoyance.

"Well?" Lisbon asked after a few minutes.

"He came from a middle class family most likely," Lizzy began, "based on his casual clothing, the fading of the color from being worn so often, and the old shoes but new shoe laces. He does have a rather expensive ring on though, I'm guessing a gift, or a class ring that another family member paid for."

"He also wasn't killed here. The dragging marks in the dirt suggest he was dragged from that direction," she said pointing towards the opening in the woods from where they came to see the body.

Lisbon nodded smiling and the Sheriff looked on in disbelief and shock.

"I told you Sheriff, mad skillzz" Patrick said emphasizing the "z" sound. "you did very well, Lizzy but I'm afraid you did miss a thing or two."

"I did?" she asked, eager for him to tell her what they were. She liked seeing Patrick use his own skills. It made her feel proud to be his little sister.

"indeed you did. On the stump of his arm, where the left hand was removed there's some blue lint embedded in his soft tissue. He was most likely killed indoors, on a blue rug, and a fancy one at that. Also, he has purple bags under his eyes, which suggest lack of sleep but the rest of his body seems well rested but still week. I'm guessing he was sick, with some type of cancer." Patrick concluded and Lisbon nodded, writing everything down.

Then Rigsby and Cho came running up to them.

"Awww man! We missed it? I wanted to see her go all 'Patrick-Jane' at the crime scene." Rigsby said in a whiney voice.

"oh hush. There will most likely be more things on the case you can see her do." Cho said to Rigsby, but you could tell he was a little put out as well. Lizzy ran over to RIgsby and hopped onto his back. She weighed almost nothing, and he carried her easily back to the cars so they could head back to the CBI.

She told Rigsby what she had said, and what Patrick had found, that she missed, and when they passed the Sheriff she stuck her tongue out at him, which made Rigsby laugh. She smiled. she could get used to this.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for all the newbie spelling mistakes and other flaws that you may have found. I'm new at this, and usually write late at night, so yeah. **

**Patrick's PoV.**

**Chapter 5. **

For Patrick, having a sister was just as good as he always imagined it would be. As a child he wished for a sister or a brother often, because being stuck with a father like the one he had, was hard on someone. Especially if they're alone.

He watched as the team just lit up whenever Lizzy was around. They'd become almost as close to her as he had, and it's only been a month since she first walked into the CBI.

He could tell that the team noticed the difference in his mood too. Not that he was always depressed or glum, but he just seemed happier then he'd been in years, and he was.

They solved the case two weeks in, the boy's uncle, whom he lived with killed him because he thought the boy trying to convince his wife to leave him. Which he was, he and his aunt were in danger of an abusive man, who had a short temper. BUT, they certainly wouldn't have solved it if Lizzy had picked up on a bloodstain in their living room carpet that was being covered by a small rug. That's what led them to domestic violence in the first place.

He was proud of her. It was a nice feeling. Patrick had only known her for a short time and yet he was already feeling like he'd known her all his life. There was one thing that worried him, and pushed at his subconscious every night while he was asleep. Red John.

Red John was the only person, other then Lisbon, who really knew how to get at him, how to push his buttons. He was absolutely terrified that he'd wake up one morning and Lizzy would be gone from their motel room, being held hostage by Red John, scared and confused. The thought made him shiver.

The other thing that worried him was; what if he was killed in the process of trying to catch Red John? What would happen to Lizzy then? Lisbon or Rigsby or anyone on the team would probably take her in if he asked them to, as his dying wish. But what would his death do to her? She'd just found she had a brother, and he's the only person she's known since her mother that actually cared about her and then it's just taken away? One gunshot, one slice to his throat and he'd be gone forever.

His throat tightened and tears welled behind his eyes. Taking a deep breath he fished the tea out of the cabinet of the CBI break room and poured hot water into two tea cups. He forced those thoughts out of his head, and thought only of happiness.

Lizzy was sitting with her legs up against the back of the couch and her head hanging off of it, upside-down, reading a book that Cho let her borrow. Reading the title upside-down he chuckled to himself. It said; Wuthering Heights.

"Hey, kiddo, I've brought you some tea." Patrick said looking down at her. She put in her book mark and swirled around so she was sitting up straight.

"Whoa" she said giggling, "Got a little dizzy there. Sat up to fast."

She took the tea gratefully and crossed her legs.

"Well, that's going to happen after you've been reading upside-down for a half an hour." He said sarcastically.

"Whatever" she said grinning, "so what's the plan for today?" she asked after taking a sip, then scalding her tongue.

"You've got to blow on it, and nothing really… I was thinking we just hang out." He said sitting on the couch next to her. He's never shared his brown couch with anyone but Lisbon, who occasionally sat next to him. It was weird; he was possessive of his couch. If it were anyone else he'd probably do something rather obnoxious to them until they got up.

"So," she said turning to face him, "What's the deal with you and Lisbon?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Whatever do you mean?" he asked. What the hell was she on about? He thought to himself.

"I think you know exactly what I mean." She said blowing the steam from the surface of her tea.

"I'm sorry, Lizzy, but I am genuinely confused." He replied. Well, was he really? She thinks there's some kind of emotional connection between him and Lisbon…. That nosey minx.

"Come on, Patrick" she said like a typical teen age girl, "what I'm asking is why you haven't asked her on a date yet?"

He chuckled. "I haven't asked her on a date because we're just friends." he explained.

"Yeah right, you expect me to believe that?" she said raising an eyebrow.

"Umm, yes I do." He said, shifting uncomfortably.

"Well I don't. Your friends might not be able to tell when your lying, but I certainly can." She said accusingly.

"You're saying I'm lying to you?" he asked.

"Indeed I am, liar, liar, pants on fire." She said laughing.

"Oh I assured you, my pants are not on fire. Their not even smoking." He said grinning.

"I beg to differ," she said, "She likes you too ya know."

"She does? How can you even tell?" he asked, setting he teacup down.

"Ha! So you do like her!" she said smiling triumphantly. The little sneak tricked it out of him…she really was his sister.

"I can tell by the way she looks at you. It's not just because you're good looking Patrick. She genuinely cares about you; you can see it in her eyes. Just like I can see it in your eyes when you look at her." Lizzy explained.

"Lizzy I don't think-,… you've got it wrong, its just.." his words kept getting trapped in his throat. She was right, he realized. He did care for Lisbon. He'd known that for a while, he'd just never been able to come to terms with it before.

"It's okay Patrick, I know your not ready. Not with Red John still around." Lizzy said stretching out across the couch and resting her head in his lap. He felt her warmth against his legs and rested his hand on her head.

Playing with the curls on her head he said, "You're right. I'm not ready. For a lot of things, a relationship being one of them."

He let her take his other hand in her own, and she unfolded and folded his fingers. Her hands were so small, and as they cradled his he felt so much bigger and responsible. He let her fiddle with his fingers and poke at a vein in his hand. The act was strangely intimate and he felt close to her. The closest he'd been to anyone in years.

"Patrick?" she said quietly.

"Yes?"

"Promise me that after you catch Red John you'll tell Lisbon how you feel?" she asked.

"Promise." He said.

"She'll make a nice sister-in-law. I'm gonna take a nap." She said and closed her eyes. She was asleep before he could say anything. The comment had surprised him. After he killed Red John would he be ready for someone else in his life? After Angela died he thought he'd never be able to move on, but Lizzy seems to believe that he'll be able too. Maybe she sees something in him that doesn't see, not yet at least.

Patrick sat there for a while, letting her nap with her head on his lap, his hand cupped inside her small fragile fingers. She must be exhausted. She was up all night, keeping him company after he'd had a particularly bad nightmare.

He dreamt that Red John had won. Images of Angela and Charlotte's bodies flashed through his head, and then Lisbon's , and Rigsby's and Cho's and Vanpelt's. And then his own. His body lying lifeless on the ground, a red smiley face painted on his chest in his own blood, and Lizzy crying over his body.

He watched in his dream as she convulsed with heartbreaking sobs and hit the ground with her fist. He had dreamt that Red John killed him and the team so that Lizzy would now be stuck with wanting revenge. So that she'd be obsessed with rage and grief, and spend the rest of her life trying to catch him.

Lizzy'd woken him up because he was thrashing and yelling. She looked scared and cupped his face in her hands.

"Patrick, Patrick wake up. Everything's okay. It's just a dream." She'd said. He slowly stopped moving and opened his eyes. He was crying. She came up onto his cot and cradled his head in her arms. Gently running her hand through his hair she said, "Its okay Patrick. I'm here and everyone's okay. Shh.." and finally he fell into a dreamless sleep.

But she didn't really sleep. He could tell by the bags under her eyes and the way she dragged her feet with fatigue. What did he do in life to deserve someone like her? A sister that barely knows him but is willing to stay awake all night to keep his bad dreams away.

Wasn't he supposed to do that? He was the older brother, in fact the age difference was so huge he could be her father. So why were the roles reversed?

She turned onto her side, her head resting on his thigh. She was still holding his hand, and he wasn't about to take it from her. Soon she was in a deep enough sleep so that not even the loudest noise could wake her.

Lisbon came over then and pulled Rigsby's desk chair over to sit in front of Patrick.

"Yes?" he said addressing her.

"I just came over to ask how you were doing that's all," Lisbon said, "so how're you doing?" she asked.

"I'm doing just fine." He said, "and how are you?" he asked politely. He looked at her, realizing all of her beautiful features. Her flawless skin, her emerald green eyes, and her silky hair. She smiled at him, and his bones practically melted. Lizzy was right, he did have feelings for her, non-just-friendship feelings. But he was nowhere near ready to address them yet.

"I'm great. What I'm trying to get at here is, how're you doing with Lizzy?" she asked. He understood what she was asking. How was he because he hadn't had actual family in a decade? How was he because he rarely opened up to people and sometimes the people he loves get hurt or killed?

"I'm fine. Truly, Lisbon. I've found that having her here has made me happier then I've been in a long time." He explained.

"Well that's good Jane." She said, "But let me tell you this. You're not the only one who's grown fond of her around here. We all care for her. So if she gets hurt because of some ridiculous plan that you come up with to solve a case I think I speak for the rest of the team when I say that- that.." she hesitated thinking of threat.

"That what?" Jane asked.

"That bad things will happen to you, Jane. Bad, painful, things." Lisbon said.

He smiled. It was comforting to know that the team loves her too. He and the team have provided a family for her that she's probably never dreamed of having.

But he became serious when he said, "Lisbon. I promise you, that I would never let anything bad happen to Lizzy. If it came down to me saving her instead of catching and killing Red John, I would choose her in a heartbeat." He knew that as soon as he'd said that he meant it. Maybe before, if it'd been the first day they met he wouldn't have meant it but he did now. With all of his heart.

He felt Lizzy shift closer to his torso, burying her face in his shirt, and squeeze his hand. So maybe she wasn't fully asleep. He pulled her close.

Lisbon nodded to him, touched Lizzy's head briefly, brushing a curl from her forehead, and walked back into her office.

Jane felt a warm breeze come in through the open window. It was hot today, but dry, so it wasn't uncomfortable. Lizzy had finally come to terms with the fact that it was too hot to wear Rigsby's leather jacket so she hung it on a chair in his office in the attic.

Then, loud and clear, coming in with another gust of wind, was the sound of someone whistling. It was a nice tune, mischievous though, like it was a signal for someone. Lizzy sat straight up, rubbed her eyes, let go of his hand and dashed for the elevator.

**In the next chapter I'm going to introduce one more fictional character, but other then that the rest of the character's will be true to the show. I'm just trying to make the story unique I guess. Hope you guys like it so far! 3**


	6. Chapter 6

**This is wear I introduce a new character that I've made up. Lizzy and this new character are gonna the only people of my creation. Promise. :D**

**Lizzy's PoV.**

**Chapter 5. **

Hearing Patrick say that he was willing to save her even if it meant that he'd loose a chance to catch the killer of his family that he'd been chasing for a decade meant so much to her.

She snuggled as close to him as she could get, squeezing his hand that was inside both of hers. Half asleep she showed her love best she could. Hearing Lisbon go all protective over her made her heart smile too. It was wonderful knowing that she was finally accepted.

But then she heard the whistle coming in through the window. Only one other person in the entire world new that whistle and she hadn't heard it since she ditched the carnival.

Before she could even think straight, groggy from her nap, she rubbed her eyes and sprinted for the elevator. Cho was coming out of it and he held the elevator doors for her.

"Where ya headed?" he asked rubbing her head affectionately. She was told by Patrick, that other then his girlfriend, she was the only person that he showed actual feelings for, and by feelings he meant the occasional rub of the head or hand set on her shoulder.

"Be right back." She said quickly and the doors shut. She hit the button that brought her to the lobby and then waited impatiently as she was brought down a few floors. Tapping her foot nervously and humming along with the irritating elevator music that really only belonged in hotels.

When the elevator doors opened up to the lobby she dashed through the front door and skidded to a stop in the middle of the CBI parking lot. Taking a minute for a breath, she turned in circles, searching for any sign that he was here. Finally when she couldn't find him, and had caught hold of her breath she repeated the same whistle and waited.

Then she heard it behind her, and she twirled around to see him sauntering towards her, thumbs hitched in his jeans pockets, and a white t-shirt that had the words "Pick Pocket" written across the front in sharpie, hung from his shoulders. That was the t-shirt she had made him for his 15th birthday.

His name was Johnny. Johnny McGrath. And he was her closet friend, and the only thing she regretted leaving behind at the carnival. They were the only carnie's that looked out for one another. He lived with his grandfather in the trailer across from hers, and when he wasn't going around picking pockets for food money they were sitting in her trailer playing cards.

She'd left him a note about where she was going and why, and told him if he wanted to come and find her, that she'd most likely be at the CBI. Guess he's found her. She looked up at him when they were only 5 feet from each other. His hair was dark brown, and a bush of curls on his head. Longer then hers and Patrick's. He wasn't tan but he wasn't nearly as pale as she was. His jaw was almost completely square, and his eyes were bright green, like Lisbon's. He was thin, but had acquired a slight build since the last time she saw him.

"Johnny-"she said choking up in her throat. She was so happy to see him, but she also felt horrible for leaving her behind.

"Come ere'" he said gently and then she closed those five feet as fast as she could and threw her arms around his neck. She breathed in his familiar aroma of his grandfather's almost vanilla smelling pipe smoke and dove soap.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She mumbled into his shoulder.

"Well, ya should be," he said smiling down at her as he held her at arms length, "You left me in that shit hole of a carnival by myself."

She laughed. Johnny's always had a way with words.

"I'm sorry. I was in shock and I didn't know where else to go. I wanted out Johnny. It wasn't a happy, and care free carnival like when we were kids. It got mean." She said trying to defend her reasons for leaving.

"Oh, trust me I know that. If you'd told me sooner I wudda came with ya!" he said grinning. She hugged him again and then finally let go. Boy had she missed her best friend.

"So how'd you get here?" she asked curious.

"Well I was gonna steal Billy's bike but then Gramps asked me where you were. He found the letter you wrote me. So we unhooked the trailer and drove here to find you. We're in a trailer park not far from here." He explained.

"I always did like Gramps." She said smiling. He was the sweetest old man. She realized that then that Johnny wasn't the only person she left at the carnival.

Suddenly someone behind them cleared their throat louder then necessary and she looked over her shoulder to see Patrick leaning against a small tree.

"Patrick! You'll never guess what's happened!" then she hesitated, "Well actually you probably can guess. But anyways, I've got an umm, visitor." She said gesturing to Johnny.

"Well I can see that. Would you mind introducing us?" Patrick asked pushing off from the tree and walking towards them. She grabbed Johnny by the forearm and pulled him along to meet up with Patrick half way.

"Patrick, this is Johnny, my close friend whom I left behind at the carnival, and Johnny this is, well, this is my brother. Patrick Jane." Patrick smiled gently and Johnny's mouth gaped.

"No way." He said smiling in disbelief, "You don't have a brother, plus like your brother would be _the_ Patrick Jane. You guys just have the same last name is all…" Johnny said, his voice fading.

"No she's telling the truth. 100%. I am _the_ Patrick Jane that you speak of and I am her brother. Well, half-brother. DNA test confirmed it." Patrick said to him. Johnny laughed in delight.

"Wow, Lizzy this is great for you." He said touching her arm. They all knew what he meant. He was referring to the fact she didn't have a responsible adult in her life until now.

"Yeah, it's really great." Lizzy said smiling at them both, and then realized that they were sizing each other up.

"Are you guys kidding me?" she asked, shifting her weight to one hip.

"Whatever are you talking about?" asked Patrick comically.

"Oh, just the fact that you're looking at each other like you're deciding who owns me or something. Patrick I'm your little sister, and Johnny you're my best friend in the entire world, but neither of you is going to fight over me. It's not happening. I want you two to be friends" she said simply.

They nodded. But she was sure that was the end of it. She also knew that if they actually talked to each other they'd probably like each other very much. Patrick will love Johnny, she thought. Unlike her and Patrick who were mentalists at the carnival, Johnny was in charge of the animals. He could tame any animal put in front of him. It's like he could talk to them, which is why he's a vegetarian. But he never made quite enough money for him to eat and keep Gramps healthy, so became a pick pocket at a young age, hence the t-shirt he was wearing.

Whether or not Johnny would warm up to Patrick or not was what she was worried about. Not because he was her brother or because he was cocky, or even because he was a mentalist, but because what he could do with being a mentalist would definitely remind him of her father. Johnny hated her father. He frequently tried to have her live with him but her father would just charge over and take her away from him.

"Can we show Johnny around the CBI? Considering it's practically where we live anyways." She asked Patrick.

"Oh sure. You've just got to let Lisbon know, I don't really care if you let Bertram know though" he said smirking. They both shared a small dislike for the director of the CBI.

"Will do. Is the rest of the team here? I want to introduce them too." She asked happily.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure they are." He said and suddenly we looked up to see Lisbon almost hanging out of a CBI window.

"Jane! What the hell are you doing outside?! I need you to come and fill out some paperwork for the last case we did! Get in here!" she yelled impatiently.

Patrick groaned, and replied, "Be right up Boss!" and she rolled her eyes and shut the window. She noticed that he only ever called her boss when he was mocking her in someway. He could be so fresh sometimes.

"I thought you were a psychic?" Johnny asked.

"I was. Psychics aren't real. I work for the CBI now, solving murders." Patrick explained, serious all of a sudden, "I'll see you two upstairs, don't lollygag or we'll think that you two have run away together" he said he humor returning to his voice.

On the way into the CBI and up the elevator to the CBI crimes unit offices Lizzy explained everything that had happened since the day she first set foot inside the CBI to Johnny. He listened intently, taking it all in. She even went out on a limb and explained a little bit of what had happened to Patrick and why he was working for the CBI.

Johnny got rather excited when she told him that she was also Patrick's apprentice and she was helping solving cases.

"Aw, Lizzy that's wicked!" he said grinning from ear to ear as the elevator doors opened.

"I'll tell you all my stories. Promise." She said smiling at him. It was so nice to see him again that she barely even realized the rest of the team and Johnny were staring at her uncomfortably.

"Oh, umm guys, this is my life-long closest friend from the carnival, Johnny McGrath, and Johnny this is Agent Lisbon, Agent Rigsby, Agent Cho, Agent Vanpelt, and you've already met Patrick." She said introducing him to each of the team members. He had a hard time looking away from Grace, which she found amusing, and a slight bit irritating.

Everyone shook hands and then she brought Johnny over to sit between her and Patrick on Patrick's brown couch. Grace had immediately sat down at her computer and knew instantly that she was doing a background check on Johnny. Apparently so did Patrick.

"Grace, don't bother with a background check, the kid grew up in a carnival. The most you're going to get is a name and date of birth." Patrick said to her. She immediately stopped typing, blushing a little.

Cho a Rigsby stared him down, it was rather threatening and she felt him stiffen next to her. She took his hand.

"I'm sorry if my friends here are a little over protective, their cops. It's in their nature." She said directing the comment to Rigsby, Cho and Vanpelt. They looked down at their feet a little embarrassed.

Lisbon walked over then and said, "Nice to meet you. So you and Lizzy grew up in the Carnival together?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded, "We uhh, met when she first joined up with her Father, I was in the middle of taming a tiger cub, when she came up, tapped me on the shoulder, and asked what the tiger cub's name was and where she could get one." He said chuckling at the memory.

"Hey, I was seven years old, give me a break." She said laughing. The team was laughing too she realized, especially Patrick. This was actually going pretty well.

"Well, I was only eight, and I knew that tiger cubs weren't good pets." He said sarcastically.

"Well, so-rry if I'm not the animal expert." She said mockingly.

"You were in charge of animals at the carnival?" Grace asked, "At age eight?"

"Yeah, that's around when they start training you to not be afraid of the animals. Their only dangerous when they can sense fear, so no fear, no danger." He explained.

"Then why does your shirt say 'pick pocket?" Cho asked, dead pan as usual.

"Yeah, not the best t-shirt to wear into the CBI." Rigsby added chuckling.

Johnny smiled shyly and looked down at his shoes.

"I made that shirt for him two years ago, for his 15th birthday. Johnny had to become a pick pocket because he needed the extra money to take care of his grandfather, and the animals just didn't' pay quite enough." She explained to the team and they nodded understanding.

…..

For the rest of the day Lizzy showed Johnny around the CBI building. She'd brought him up to the attic where she and Patrick usually stayed; while the rest of the team did some paper work on a suicide case they got a hold of last week. She was told she didn't have to fill anything out.

"So this is it." She said waving her hands around in a circle.

"Pretty nice. A little bit small, but nice. The big window really adds to it." He said looking out at Sacramento.

"Yeah, you should see it at night. Maybe after you settle in with Gramps at the trailer park we can have a slumber party." She said. Her only worry was that he would see one of Patrick's episodes, and it would embarrass Patrick horribly.

"Yeah, maybe." He said walking around the room, "You know, the past two months at the carnival have been hell."

"I'm sorry" she said again. She didn't know what else to say. She felt that there was no amount of apologies that could make up for leaving him. "I promise I won't leave you again."

He nodded and walked over to her. He hugged her, wrapping his long arms around her ridiculously small waste. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest. They stood there for a long time, just basking in each other, soaking in what they'd missed for the two months they'd been separated. She didn't know how long she stood there, wrapped in his protective arms, but they finally extracted themselves from each other when Patrick opened the door.

"Oh, sorry am I interrupting something?" he asked.

"No" Johnny and Lizzy said at the same time.

"Good, because I was wondering if I could have a word with Johnny alone." Patrick said as more of a demand then a question.

"Umm yeah sure." Johnny said smiling at them both.

"I'll be downstairs' in the break room, having a cup of tea." She said exiting the attic. What could Patrick possibly want to talk to Johnny about? It was sweet that he was protective but it was a little stressful knowing that Patrick wouldn't really have to talk to him much to figure them out.

She entered the break room and the kettle was still warm from Patrick's last cup and so she rummaged through the cabinet until she found the tea she was looking for. Mandarin Green Tea. Her favorite. With honey of course.

"Hey kiddo" Rigsby said sitting down at a table.

"Hi Rigsby, what's up?" she asked sitting across from him while waiting for her tea to brew.

"Well I was just wondering about this Johnny kid. I know that he's a friend of yours but-" he trailed off.

"But what Rigsby?" she asked suddenly angry. "But you don't think that I should be hanging out with him? You think that he might be a bad influence? Or that since he's a pick pocket that he's a delinquent?" she spouted.

"Lizzy, just listen.." Rigsby started to say.

"No Rigsby, you listen." She said interrupting him. "I've known Johnny almost all of my life. He's like family to me, and I care deeply for him. He and his grandfather left the carnival and drove all the way here so they could find me because _I _left _them_. I'm not just going to turn him away like he's no longer part of my life. He's really important to me okay? And it seems that everyone here except Lisbon has been on his case, trying to figure out whom he is or if he's dangerous or something. Well, he's my _friend_, and you guys are just going to have to deal with it." She finished her rant, and stormed off before Rigsby could say anything else.

She found Lisbon's office, and went in without knocking, but Lisbon barely even looked up from her desk. She's used to Patrick barging in all the time. Lizzy lay down on her couch, curled up, and completely forgot about her tea.

**I have a small obsession with the actor Jesse Eisenberg so that's kind of who I based Johnny off of looks wise. I hope you guys like this chapter even though its mostly Lizzy and Johnny instead of Jane. It'll be in his PoV next chapter so don't worry! :DD **


	7. Chapter 7

**So I really hoped you guys liked my last chapter even though it wasn't really relevant to the mentalist in any way. I was trying to get into the story I guess. But it'll get back to Patrick Jane in this chapter. No worries. This fic is from my head so it's not gonna be all solving cases and stuff… also leave comments! It makes me want to write faster!**

**Chapter 6**

Patrick knew that Lizzy was hiding things about her past from him, naturally she would. They'd only just met two months ago, but them being so close he didn't think she'd leave out that she left behind a best friend.

Not to mention the fact that her best friend that she left behind was a boy who happened to be a pick pocket. He knew that he was being silly, and that Johnny really did seem like a nice boy, who like himself had to grow up in a carnival where getting cash to live off of was a difficult as it could get.

But he couldn't help it. He just felt this protective cloud hang over him whenever the boy was even near Lizzy. He just wanted to wrap her in his arms and shield her from Johnny. It made him feel worse about him wanting her away from him when he saw her hug him, full of apology and love. And when she held his hand while sitting on the couch, a protective gesture against the ominous stares of Cho and Rigsby.

He could see that she really cared about him, and she really wanted himself and Johnny to be friends, and to get along. So, to do that he needed to at least talk to Johnny alone. Learn about who he is, and if he poses any sort of threat towards Lizzy whatsoever.

He walked in on Lizzy and Johnny hugging again when he entered their little home in the attic. He uncomfortably looked away for a minute, giving them time to reminisce and be happy.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked casually and they stepped away from each other, a little awkward.

"No" they said at the same time. He wanted to grin but he kept himself at bay.

"Well, I was wondering if I could talk to Johnny alone." He said, in more of a demanding tone then a question. He didn't mean for it to sound to harsh but it did.

"Umm, yeah sure." Johnny said looking down at his shoes. Lizzy told them that she'd be downstairs having some tea and left.

"So what would you like to talk about Mr. Jane?" he asked, and then winced a little at the name. That's probably what he had to call his and Lizzy's father.

"You can just call me Patrick" Jane said, and Johnny nodded, "I just wanted to talk about you,… and Lizzy."

"Well what do you wanna know?" he asked sitting down in the desk chair. Patrick sat down on his cot and looked at the boy.

"Well, to start, how long have you and Lizzy been friends?" he asked.

"Umm, well when we met I was 8 and she was 7, so I'd say around eleven years." Johnny said simply.

Jane nodded, "If you'd been friends for so long, why do you think she left the carnival?" Jane asked.

"Well, Patrick, I don't know" he said miserably, "She explained most of it to me. And I believe her, just that after her father died, well I guess your father too, she was free and she wanted to get out." Johnny explained. "You see, the carnival was different when we were kids. It was sweet, and fun, and joyful. But over the years it changed. Getting paid became a difficult task and everyone grew mean and bitter."

Patrick nodded. He knew how he felt. Talking to Johnny he had a hard time disliking him. He was genuine and honest. His plan to intimidate him was not going as well as planned, and it probably wouldn't even happen, he thought to himself.

"She never told me she had left a best friend at the carnival.." Patrick said thoughtfully.

"She didn't?" he asked. His face was stricken with worry and sadness.

"No, but I'm sure she ad good reason. She probably didn't want to even step foot back in that carnival." Patrick said trying to comfort the boy.

"Yeah, I guess. She did leave me a note, saying where to find her." Johnny mused.

"Well, how romantic." Patrick said grinning, and Johnny blushed. "You really care for her huh?"

"Yeah I do." Johnny said, his mouth forming a straight line, "And I know you're her newly found, long lost brother and all, and I can see that she cares for you a lot, but if you hurt her, I will find a way to cause you pain. She'd all I have other then Gramps, and he's not gonna be around for much longer. I don't know what I'd do without Lizzy, and I can't stand seeing her in any sorta pain or grief. So just, watch it." He said to Patrick grudgingly.

"Oh, my dear boy, you needn't worry about that. I know she's probably told you about what happened to my family, so you wouldn't accidentally say something offensive, but I'm going to say this to you once, and only once. So listen close." Patrick said, solemnly. "I had a beautiful wife and child, and because of my arrogance and foolish ways, I insulted a serial killer on live television. And that night I came home to see my family, and was greeted by their bodies slaughtered on the floor. I've been trying to catch their killer, Red John," Patrick winced when he said that name, "ever since. But I've learned my lesson. I've made a knew family here at the CBI and one day, a small, frigid little girl, who looks just like me, comes in claiming to be my sister. And it turns out that she's right. It's like someone is giving me another chance at having a family. Lizzy , in the past two months, had held me through nightmares, and made me more proud then I could ever feel, and we've only just begun a life together as a family. I wouldn't trade anything for it. _Not even the killer of my family_. I would give up a chance to catch Red John to keep her safe in a heartbeat." Patrick finished his small monologue about confessing his life story and love for his family and looked down at the floor.

Johnny sat there, unsure of what to say. Finally he rested his hand on Patrick's shoulder and said, "I believe you."

Patrick nodded. Then he asked, "Were you there for her? Whenever she had to deal with our shithole of a father, were you there?"

"Every time she needed me," Johnny said seriously, "There were times where I had convinced Gramps to let her live with us and I'd come and try and sneak her off during the night, but her father would wake up and scream and pull her back into the trailer. Whenever she was sad, or felt like she had nothing in the world, I'd hug her, and tell her that if she left that she'd be leaving me, that I'd become a drunken mess if she didn't stay. That always made her laugh." Johnny said, a small smile curing at her lips.

"I would also sneak into her trailer whenever she had nightmares. I could hear thrashing and screaming in her sleep, and her father just didn't care. I'd hold her until she fell asleep again. You're not the only one who has nightmares Patrick." He said looking at Jane.

"Thank you." Patrick said. He didn't know how she'd survived and finally he's found the reason. This boy kept her afloat the whole time. And he was so grateful that it hurt.

"She hasn't had a nightmare since she's been here, at least I don't think she has." Patrick mused.

"She stopped having them around when she was about 12. She'd told me they were mostly about her mother. She was because she hadn't been there, she though she might have seen the 18 wheeler before it hit the car and would've been able to warn her." Johnny explained. Patrick nodded.

They sat in silence for a little while, Jane didn't know how long exactly. Finally he stood up and said,

"Well, Lizzy's probably wondering what's taking us so long, we should get down there." Johnny nodded and before they walked out of the attic asked, "Patrick, are we good?"

"Yeah Johnny, we're good." He said and rubbed the boys head, watching his shaggy mess of curls bounce in different directions.

…

Patrick and Johnny walked off of the elevator to find it rather quiet in the CBI crimes unit offices. Cho was reading something by Henry Thoreau, and Grace was doing something in her computer. Rigsby was slouching at a table that was too small for him in the break room, and Lisbon was no where in sight. Which meant she was probably in her office.

"Where's Lizzy?" he asked to the public.

"Rigsby got her mad and she stormed off to Lisbon's office." Cho said plainly.

"I didn't mean to get her mad!" Rigsby said sadly.

"How'd you get her mad?" Patrick and Johnny asked at the same time.

"He said he wanted to talk about Johnny, and she got defensive because she thinks we're to suspicious of him." Cho said again, "No offense." He added, raising his head from his book and looking at Johnny.

"None taken, but you guys. I'm not a bad guy or anything. All I do is train animals at a carnival." He said innocently. Patrick smiled at the attempt to defend himself against a bunch of cops who were staring at his pick pocket shirt.

"And pick pockets." Grace chimed in.

"Well, yeah there's that. But that's only to pay for Gramps' medicine." He said quietly. They nodded and Rigsby slumped his head on the table with a loud plunk.

"There's no need to worry yourselves. Johnny is a fine young man, and if it wasn't for him, something awfully bad might have happened to Lizzy while she was still at the carnival. Our father wasn't exactly a nice man." Patrick said finally, defending the boy and the rest of the team nodded.

Jane smiled knowingly, when he saw that once his approval was set on the boy they automatically agreed. It made him feel in charge. Speaking of people who are in charge…

"Is Lisbon talking to Lizzy in her office?" Patrick asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Grace said. Leave it to Lisbon to make everything better. She really was great. He smiled. He still wasn't ready for Lisbon to know about his feelings, but it was still okay to think about them to himself.

Johnny sat down at a table and the team apologized to him, and he nodded. As Patrick went down to Lisbon's office he heard Johnny telling them stories about the Animals he'd trained and what he and Lizzy did to play and cause mischief. He grinned.

Lisbon's office door was shut and he could see Lizzy curled up into Lisbon's small embrace on her office couch. Lisbon was smoothing her hair and running her back soothingly with her hand. It was a sweet picture. He didn't want to interrupt it, but he knew that he should.

He opened the door slightly, and poked his head in.

"Hey guys." He said grinning at them. Lisbon shot him a mean look and Lizzy only smiled a little at him.

"Hey Lizzy, would you mind going into the break room while I talk to Lisbon alone?" he asked and she hesitated, "Johnny is telling the team carnival stories and I'm sure you don't want him saying anything embarrassing." He chided. She looked up at him in surprise and stood from the couch.

"He is?" she asked in disbelief.

"He is. And I'm pretty sure I can hear Rigsby laughing…" he said and she ran from the room, thanking Lisbon on the way out.

"So? What do I owe the pleasure of such an impossible pin head for?" she asked menacingly.

"Lisbon! That's hurtful" he said mockingly and noted that her face didn't so much as twitch. Wow, he'd really done something now…

"I'm sorry. That sarcasm wasn't necessary. But Lisbon, why are so angry with me?" he asked sitting on the couch next to her.

"Are you seriously asking me that Jane?" she asked incredulously. "Lizzy's not a child. She knew exactly what you were planning to with Johnny up there alone, and that was interrogate him. And then Rigsby had to go and ask her about him and she just.." Lisbon trailed off.

"Look, Lisbon, that was originally what I intended to do." He said slowly and continued when he saw the look on her face, "BUT, that's not what I ended up doing. I realized after asking him one question how much he cared for her, and so in the end we just talked."

"I'm glad that you didn't actually interrogate him but you actually having to ask him a question, to realize that he cared for her? I think your loosing your touch, Jane, because I noticed that immediately." Lisbon said a little snarkily.

"I am NOT loosing my touch" Patrick said, dumbfounded. He was fully aware of why he hadn't realized it and it wasn't because he was loosing his touch.

"I didn't notice because I was letting my worry over her cloud my judgment." He explained.

"Oh sure" she said sarcastically.

"As I've said before Lisbon, sarcasm is the lowest form of wit." Patrick said just to aggravate her. She stuck her tongue out at him and he found himself laughing out loud. This woman never ceased to surprise him.

They stood from the couch and she turned towards him, her hands on her hips. She was so adorable, and he couldn't help but admire her just a little.

"You're just mad because I noticed before you." She said cockily.

"Oh, don't get all excited, woman. That's a one time thing." He said smiling and then he bent down and hugged her. His large arms wrapped around her small frame. He never noticed how small she was before, mostly because she always had a loaded fire arm in her hands.

This hug was different then the two previous hugs he'd given her. One of them had been right before he was going to fake kill her, rushed and clumsy, and the second had only lasted mere seconds after she forgave him and let him work with the team again. This hug was soft, and warm, and lasted for a minute or so.

"Thank you" he said quietly into her shoulder.

"For what?" she asked. Her arms flailing a little at her sides.

"For being there for her. For being a woman in her life that she can look up to." He said. Lizzy needed someone strong and bold, and willing to look after her other then her brother. And he wouldn't want anyone but Lisbon to do it.

"You're welcome" she said, finally hugging him back. It was a sweet moment that he saved in his memory palace so that he could come back to it any time he wished.

They separated and walked out of her office, towards the laughs and animal sounds coming from the break room.

**Hope you guys liked it! It had a tiny tiny tiny bit of Jisbon fluff, you can kinda see it at the end if you look under a microscope. :D anyways. It wasn't as long as the last one but I think this shows some good story jazz,… I'm not really sure what that meant but yeah. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Vacation is actually super distracting. With Christmas and stuff and then my grandmother caught pnemuaonia and she lives with us so we're taking care of her… but yeah. I've been busy. **

**Hope you guys like it so far. :D**

**I know I did the last chapter in Jane's point of view but I wanna continue with him for this chapter.**

**Chapter 8**

It had taken all of his power to actually let go of Lisbon when he hugged her. He really was grateful that she was someone that Lizzy could look up to as a woman. She couldn't just have an arrogant, trouble making, yet charming brother to look up to. She needed some kind of woman's influence. He wanted it to be Lisbon, and only Lisbon.

Admittedly hugging Lisbon was probably one of the best moments he'd experienced in a very long time. When she hugged back he almost melted into her, and warmth and happiness spread through his body.

Gosh, he had an issue now. Trying to keep his emotions at bay while they still tried to catch Red John was going to be an exceptionally difficult challenge now that he'd touched her.

Patrick rubbed the back of his neck with his hand as they entered the break room, but the tension of his previous thoughts was washed away by the sight of Lizzy smiling ear to ear, as Johnny talked animatedly about a python named George. The team was laughing; all of their eyes were full light and happiness. Even Cho was chuckling a bit.

"And if I hadn't lured him away with a big juicy rat, Lizzy here, probably would've been George's lunch." Johnny said, a belly laugh escaping his lips.

"What's this? You were almost eaten by a snake?" Patrick asked and the two teens and the team looked up at Lisbon and Jane.

"Well, see, I didn't know it was gonna wrap around my neck, I just thought it would slither around my feet." She said grinning.

"You were so wrong." Johnny said. And Patrick chuckled and Lisbon smiled. Even though this event had happened years before, Jane couldn't help feeling relieved that Johnny had been there. He felt he owed the boy something, saving her life, and being there for her when he wasn't. Once again.

"We didn't have a lot of animals at our carnival, it was a little less circus like. We did have an elephant though." Patrick said grinning down at the people in front him. "You remember the elephant don't you Lisbon?" he asked chuckling and nudging Lisbon's shoulder with his fist.

"Oh I sure do." She said laughing. The team told Lizzy and Johnny of the case they were solving to prove his brother-in-law's innocence, and how it brought it back home to his carnival.

They moved to the bullpen after a little while. Johnny went home to his grandfather. Patrick was a little relieved that it was just him and Lizzy on the couch.

Rigsby was at the dentist and Grace and Cho were finishing some paperwork with Lisbon in her office. That only happened rarely. The team gathering in Lisbon's office, but Jane had a feeling it wasn't just because they had paperwork to do.

They were probably trying to give Lizzy and him some alone time to discuss the days events. It was a pretty hectic day after all. Lizzy's long lost best friend found her at the CBI, the team and her brother were suspicious of the boy she trusted with her life, she was comforted by the only person who wasn't suspicious; Lisbon. And then of course Jane hugged Lisbon.

They would all be sleeping well tonight. Jane found that he wanted to tell Lizzy about the hug that he and Lisbon had shared after she left the office. He felt like a teen age girl, gossiping to her best friend. Jane smiled at the image of himself as a teen age girl.

"Sooo" Jane said, taking a sip of tea and turning to look at Lizzy whom was sitting on the couch next to him.

"So," she said, holding her tea in her lap, "Today was… eventful." She commented.

"It sure was." He said and set down his tea, "Listen, Lizzy, I'm sorry for being suspicious of your friend. It wasn't my place, I should've listened to you."

Then Lizzy set her tea down on the table next to the couch with an annoyed sigh.

"What? What did I do now? I thought apologizing was the right thing to do?" he asked confused, and she gave him an exasperated look.

"Patrick. You're my big brother. You're _supposed_ to be suspicious of strange boys coming into your younger sister life out of nowhere." She said, her lip turning up into a small grin.

"So you're not mad?" Jane asked.

"Oh, of course I'm a little mad Patrick. But that's how brothers and sister relationships work. You know, it's been two and a half months since I started living with you and we haven't fought once." She stated.

Thinking back Jane knew she was right about the no fighting. But why was that a bad thing? He didn't want to fight with her.

"Lizzy, I'm very confused." He said pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Look," she said, "Patrick, you're like the best big brother I could possibly ask for." She said, and Jane smiled in spite of himself, "But, sometimes you're too perfect. When you got all protective over me when you met Johnny, well….. I felt loved, even more then I ever have before." She explained.

"You see, our dad never protected me from anything. Johnny always did that for me. But it just wasn't the same as having someone in your actual family worrying over you. I love the fact that you're lenient, and that you don't make me go to school, but I like protective and responsible Patrick too." She finished.

"I see." Jane said, thinking about her somewhat confusing logic. "Well, then you're welcome. I promise, being protective over you will not change, it may only get worse in the future." He said smiling.

She smiled and to a big swig of tea.

"Lizzy, I have to tell you something." Jane said slowly.

"What?" she asked, scooting closer to him on the couch so he could talk quietly.

"Well, after you left me alone with Lisbon in her office… I hugged her." He said, smiling like a giddy school boy, and his cheeks flushed just a little.

"You did?" she asked excitedly, "Way to go Patrick." She said giving him a high five.

Jane chuckled. "This doesn't mean anything, missy. I was thanking her for comforting you. I need to catch Red John first." he said a bit solemnly.

"Well, not to be rude or insensitive Patrick, but you better catch him soon before someone else gets to her." Lizzy said.

"I know, I know." He said. This conversation was starting to send his mood into the depths of a gloomy cave, so he changed the subject.

"Johnny is a real nice boy Lizzy." Jane began, "You know he's in love with you right?" Jane asked, putting the spotlight on her love life for change. Jane knew the moment he saw Johnny hug her in the parking lot of the CBI that the boy was crazy for her, yet he still ended up letting his protectiveness get in the way.

"What?" she looked at him shocked, "Noo." She said shaking her head in disbelief. Her cheeks became bright pink, he smiled.

"Umm yes." Jane said, "He's in love with you and you're in love with him." Ha. How's it feel to have your love life examined Lizzy?

"Adljdhlhksdf" was the only sound that came out her mouth, then she asked, "You really think he loves me?"

Jane pulled her into a one armed hug, and she curled her legs up onto the couch and rested her head on his shoulder. He then said what he once said to Lisbon about Sam Bosco, "He loves you. How could he not?"

"Aww Patrick, your just saying that cause I'm your sister." She said smiling against his chest, "Promise you wont be too over protective?" she asked looking up at him.

"Oh, no. You just gave me the _you're supposed to be protective_ speech. Nope. I can't promise anything." He said grinning.

"But Patriiicckkk" she wined sitting up.

"No buts" he said and started to tickle her sides. She giggled wildly and tried to wriggle away but he grabbed her by her ankle and yanked her back onto the couch, tickling her until she was crying from laughing so hard.

This is great, he thought laughing. He hadn't had a tickle fight since,… well since his daughter was alive. He found that he missed this.

There was the sound of a girl shrieking and then grunting. The team, with Lisbon in the lead, bolted out of her office, only to find Lizzy lying on her stomach on the couch, and Jane sitting on top of her.

He was holding her legs down with one foot and holding her wrists in his hands.

"Patrickkk, get off of me." She said laughing.

"Nope." Jane said shaking his head, and then looked up. "Oh hey Lisbon. Paper work all done?"

Lisbon glared at him for a moment, and then a smile played on her lips. Grace was laughing and Cho smirked.

"Get off of her Jane, that's not professional." Lisbon said to him.

"I wasn't trying to be professional my dear Lisbon. This child tried tickling me was all." Jane said casually.

"You started it." Lizzy said into the couch cushion.

"Did you start it Jane?" Lisbon asked.

"Well yeah, but-" Jane began but Lisbon interrupted him.

"Up, Jane. She probably can't even breathe." Lisbon said sternly.

"Okay, _mom_" Jane said mockingly, "And was that a blow against my weight?" Jane asked Lisbon as he started to get up.

"Of course not." Lisbon said sarcastically. Lizzy started to get up as Jane got off of her and grunted, "Ugh, Patrick, sometimes you can be such a fart."

"Oh, no. I am not a fart." Jane said sitting back on top of her, and she slammed into the cushions with a huff.

"Lisbon!" Lizzy called, "Help!"

"Sorry kid. You called him a fart. No matter how true it is, I can't help you. You're on your own." Lisbon said laughing, and Jane gave her a look of shock when she agreed with Lizzy's fart comment.

"Is that really how you think of me Lisbon?" he asked while struggling to keep Lizzy from wiggling.

But before she could respond Rigsby walked into the bullpen eating a pretty good sized sandwich.

"Hey guys, wha?" he said walking in and seeing Jane sitting on top of Lizzy and Grace and Cho sitting at there desks as if nothing was happening.

"I thought you just went to the dentist?" Cho asked him.

"I did" Rigsby said.

"You're not supposed to eat for a half an hour after you go to the dentist." Cho said, and Rigsby looked down at his sandwich, and shrugged and Cho shook his head.

"Rigsby, help me! You love me right? Get him off!" Lizzy said as Risgby turned to sit at his desk.

"Rigsby, if you help her you will regret it. I can do horrible things to you." Jane threatened laughing.

"Yea, umm, Lizzy I'm gonna listen to Jane. You're on your own." Risgby said sitting down.

Jane laughed. Oh the influence he had on people. How nice it was. So this is what being a big brother was like? He'd never get tired of this. It was great, and fun. He hadn't had fun in a long time.

"Come on Risgby! You, tall and strong Risgby is afraid of little tiny Jane?" Lizzy asked.

"Excuse me?" Jane said looking down at her and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Well yeah, a little bit." Rigsby said answering Lizzy's question.

"Cho's not afraid of him. Right Cho?" Lizzy said, and Cho nodded.

Rigsby looked around the bullpen, Lisbon had gone into her office. Cho was watching him, dead pan as always, and Grace had an "are you gonna take that?" look on her face.

Jane wasn't entirely sure what was going to happen. For once, he couldn't read Risgby's face. Rigsby walked over to him, towering over the couch like a giant and picked Jane up and put him over his shoulder.

Jane yelped. Now it was getting interesting.

"Rigsby! Put me down Wayne! You are so going to regret this." Jane said menacingly. All of the blood was rushing to his head. He was surprised that the rest of the CBI wasn't watching. How embarrassing. Here he was over Risgby's shoulder like a small child. He laughed.

"Ha!" Lizzy said, "Thanks Rigsby!" she said hugging his waste and then quickly dancing out of the way of Jane's hands.

"Get over here you little devil." Jane said to his sister, but he was still helplessly dangled over Rigsby's shoulder. Lizzy stood behind Grace just in case he somehow got down.

"So Cho what should I do with him?" Rigsby asked, turning towards Cho so that Jane's backside was facing the stoic CBI agent. Jane's front half was facing Lisbon's office, and he looked up when she walked out.

"Oh, well hello again Lisbon." Jane said, grinning.

Rigsby whipped around in a circle, making Jane dizzy in the process, to look at his tiny boss.

"Uh, boss, I can, uh, explain." Rigsby said, frozen.

Jane could practically hear her trying to contain her laughter.

"No, need Rigsby, just put him down." Lisbon said struggling through the laughter that wanted to escape.

Rigsby bent down and set Jane on his feet. He straightened his suit and turned to Lisbon.

"Thanks Lisbon." He said, and flashed her a charming smile. She blushed a little. Got her every time.

Jane then turned to find the little weasel of a sister that he had and he spotted her hiding behind Grace. Lizzy's eyes widened and she sprinted so that she was standing behind Lisbon, her little hands on Lisbon's waste.

Using his petite boss as a shield was not going to work. He ran over to them and Lisbon held up her hands.

"Oh, no. Enough of this ruff housing. If you're gonna do this, go up to the attic." She said bossily. Jane laughed. She sounded just like she was scolding her children.

Jane was trying to weave around Lisbon when her cell phone rang. Everyone froze as she answered it.

"Hello? Bertram?" she said, "Alright, we'll head over right away." She said, in full duty mode.

"We've got a case. Pack up. We're headed to the outskirts of Sacremento. Teen age girl murdered, looks like it may be a serial killer."

Great, Jane thought. What a great way to end this day. And it was just starting to get better. The team went to their desks to get their things and Jane and Lizzy headed to the attic to get anything they might need.

…**.**

When they got to the body the sun was almost completely set. The night was cooler then they thought it would be, so Jane gave Lizzy his suit jacket, because she was shivering and rubbing her bare arms.

The dead girl on the ground was lying on her back with her arms crossed across her chest, each hand touching the opposite shoulder, like a vampire napping in a coffin. Her hair was spread out in a fan behind her head and her eyes were gouged out. She was fully clothed, legs were pressed together, straight out.

"Her name is Jenny Springs, age 18, just finished her first year at California State." Cho said.

"No sign of sexual assault but the ME will let us know for sure once they take the body away and do a full autopsy report." Vanpelt said and Lisbon nodded at them both.

"Alright, what about you guys?" Lisbon asked looking over at the Jane's examining the body together in silence.

"Is it a serial killer?" Jane asked.

"We think so. Four other bodies were killed and set up in the same way over the past year." Rigsby answered as he walked back from interviewing suspects.

"Not set up." Lizzy said.

"Huh?" Rigsby and Lisbon said at the same time.

"Not set up." Lizzy said again, "Displayed. The killer made a display." She explained, with a disgusted look on her face.

"This serial killer doesn't have the same motives for killing as Panzer or Red John." Jane added, "He doesn't kill just because he enjoys it or to show how smart he is. He does it to create art." Jane explained.

"Sick" Grace said retching with disgust.

"Indeed" Jane agreed. Killings like these always irked Jane. They made him angry. He just couldn't comprehend how people could kill because they just enjoyed it or because they wanted to make art.

He knew that some of those people were mentally ill, crazy. But most of them weren't. How could any sane person do such a thing? It gave him the chills.

The girl at his feet was only a year or so older then Lizzy, which made him shiver. Things like this made him question whether or not he should continue letting her assist him on cases. What if something happened to her?

"We're looking for someone who loves art. But not organized paintings, but abstract things. Nature, anything organic. They like to make things look naturally beautiful." Lizzy said to Lisbon.

"But they also like to show the dark side too. Nature has beauty but also has hate and ugliness. Hence the death, and gouged out eyes." Jane continued.

"Okay. That's a good start." Lisbon said, "Jane, and Lizzy if you want, come have a chat with some of the neighbors, and the people who found her." She said and lead them away.

Jane knew at once that the couple that found her were innocent. They were just looking for a nice spot to have a picnic.

"They didn't do it." Jane said to Lisbon.

"What?" she looked up at him. "How do you know that?"

"They have a picnic basket." Jane said simply, and walked away, to the next people he had to talk to.

"Oh and I suppose this is the same principle as the butter situation." Lisbon said catching up with Jane and Lizzy.

"Yes. Precisely. Except they didn't do it. An that guy did do it because he used to much butter." Jane explained, smiling down at his tiny boss.

"Yeah, that makes sense." Lizzy chimed in.

"See?" Jane said to Lisbon while draping his arm around Lizzy's shoulders. Lisbon just shook her head and brought them to one of the neighbors.

Jane immediately disliked the man they walked up to. He was of medium height, a little shorter then Jane, he had a receding hair line, and large nose and adam's apple. He just looked creepy. He had a lazy eye, which just added to his weirdness.

"Umm, Mr. Toolkin is it?" Lisbon asked.

"Yes ma'am." He said nodding to her.

"I'm Agent Teresa Lisbon from the CBI, you've already talked to Agent Rigsby but our Consultant, Patrick Jane would like to ask you a few questions." She said to him, and gestured to Jane.

Jane didn't really want to talk to him. In fact he wanted to grab Lizzy and Lisbon and rush them away from this man's menacing gaze. But he couldn't, unfortunately.

"Hi, I'm Patrick Jane as Agent Lisbon said." Jane said introducing himself.

"Hello, Mr. Jane." Mr. Toolkin said, "Sean Toolkin." He said shaking hands with Jane. Jane repelled the urge to shiver. Even the man's handshake was creepy. It was light and feathery, that was the only way he could explain it.

"Well, did you know the girl?" Jane asked.

"Yes, I did. She was my neighbor. Poor Jenny, she was a sweet girl." He said lightly.

"She was sweet?" Jane asked.

"Oh yes. Jenny wouldn't hurt a fly. Such a pure spirit. It's so sad." He said looking down. In that moment Jane knew he was lying. About the sad part, he didn't feel sad at all. Also, his lazy eye moved down towards the left when he lied. Lizzy noticed it too.

"Who do you think might have killed her?" Lizzy asked, finally speaking up.

"Well umm, who're you? Mr. Jane I don't think its very responsible to be bringing your daughter to a murder scene." Toolkin said leaning down to look into Lizzy's face. She pulled back and hid her face in Jane's side just a little.

"Mr. Toolkin, she's not my daughter. She's my sister, and she's assisting me." Jane said, his voice suddenly cold.

"Oh, well then. I don't know who might have killed her." He said as his lazy eye moved down toward s the left again. "Your sister has such pretty hair." He said wistfully.

Sean Toolkin then reached out to Lizzy's head.

**I feel like that's a pretty good cliff hanger right? I had a lot of fun writing the tickle fight scene. I have a big brother so I used a lot of my experience to influence that scene. I hope you guys liked it. I'm adding a serial killer, to give the story some action. It was getting a little boring I have to admit. **

**Well, please comment! I love feedback! And thanks to all the comments I've gotten so far. **

**-Liz. **


	9. Chapter 9

**To answer the wonderful person who made the tenth comment on my fic, yes I am trying to make you believe that Sean Toolkin is the killer. It's gonna be one of those, "Jane knows it's the killer and so does everyone else but they have to be able to prove it" type cases. **

**I really hope you guys like it so far. :D **

**Chapter 9**

**Lizzy's PoV. **

Patrick pushed himself in front of her and glared at Toolkin. Lizzy could feel the hatred emitting from Patrick's eyes. When she looked up to see Toolkin reaching to touch her hair, she stiffened and froze, she was afraid of him and didn't know what t do.

Obviously Patrick did.

For a moment it was completely silent, Lisbon was looking over at Lizzy and Patrick with a curious look but continued talking to Cho. Toolkin finally smiled a small innocent yet so terribly guilty smile and lowered his arm.

Lizzy had known he was the killer when Patrick started questioning him, because Patrick wasn't asking questions to figure things out about the victim but asking questions that would clue into him being the killer. She wasn't exactly sure how Patrick had figured it out, she'd ask him later.

But the way he complimented her hair was the trigger. That confirmed he was it. In these "artful" displays of murder the hair was always put in a certain way, so that people could admire it.

Shivers went down her spine.

Lizzy squeezed Patrick's hand and buried her face into his side. Thank God, or whatever higher power that existed, he was here. He made her feel safe, even though when it came to physical bouts, Patrick wasn't really the person to rely on.

"That's all, Mr. Toolkin." Patrick said calmly, "We'll keep in touch."

Lizzy and Patrick walked over to the team, who were waiting for them at the van. Lizzy held Patrick's hand all the way there. She could feel Toolkin's eyes boring holes into her back.

"So?" Lisbon asked.

"We'll discuss back at the office." Patrick said plainly. They all shrugged and got into the van. Patrick held Lizzy close on the ride back to the CBI.

Lizzy snuggled into him. Thoughts were whipping and swirling around in her head so fast that her head hurt. She was positive that Patrick could most likely hear her thinking so hard.

The ride was quiet. Lizzy just wanted to get back to the CBI, which was her home, and curl up in the attic and hide from the world until Toolkin was dead.

When they pulled into a parking spot at the CBI and cut off the engine, Patrick and Lizzy got out and bolted into the CBI building.

They needed some tea.

Once her hands were around the warm tea cup and the heavenly herbal beverage was flowing down her throat, she could relax a little bit. She was sitting next to Patrick on the couch, who looked nervous and angry, and frightened all at the same time. The tea didn't seem to be helping him as much as it was helping her.

"Alright, Jane. What's wrong?" Lisbon asked, hands on hips, looking down at the Jane family. They were surrounded by the team, all of their faces grave, in total cop mode.

"Yeah, out with it." Grace said annoyed that he took to long to answer.

"That man, Sean Toolkin is the serial killer, and even though he'll probably kill another girl before we catch him, he's got his eyes set on another victim as well." Patrick Jane said solemnly.

"Who?" Risgby asked first.

"Lizzy" Patrick said looking down into his blue tea cup. His face was miserably sad and full of guilt.

Lizzy knew it was true before Patrick said it. She knew when he reached for her hair, and she was absolutely terrified. But not because a serial killer was after her, but because of the grief the Patrick and Johnny would feel if she was killed. It would kill them alone.

"Whoa. Hold up. We don't even know if he really is the killer." Lisbon said positively.

"He is." Lizzy said solemnly, "He reached for my hair, saying it was beautiful, and the hair is a key part of the killer's display." She explained and Patrick nodded.

"He also lied. He said it was sad that Jenny was killed, but the man's eyes were cold. He had no remorse or grief on his face, only pride." Patrick said.

So that's how Patrick knew it was him. He saw how proud he was of his recent masterpiece. Good catch.

"Even if you are right Jane-" Lisbon began.

"I _am_ right." Patrick cut her off.

"Okay, so, even though you're right Jane, we have nothing to hold him for. There's nothing but your evidence, reading people, and that's not the kind of evidence that we need." Lisbon said sadly.

"We're looking into him now and if we find anything remotely suspicious we'll bring him in" Cho said.

Patrick nodded to the stoic agent in thanks and then said to Lizzy, "You can't stay here. Its not safe enough. He'll think that you'll be with me at all times."

That frightened her. What did he mean? That now she couldn't be with him, where she felt the safest?

"But Patrick, I wanna stay with you." Lizzy said sadly.

"You can't. Not all the time at least. It won't be safe." He said, looking at her in the eyes. His eyes were even more drooped then normally, sadness threatened to spill over his lids, she could see it.

"Lisbon, can she stay with you?" Patrick asked, looking up at his boss.

Lizzy wouldn't have minded staying with Rigsby but he was a new little boy. Cho would've been a bit awkward for long periods of time, and Grace would've tried to open her up, and have a girly day or something.

Lisbon was the best choice. Plus, she liked Lisbon, and she knew that Patrick trusted her most.

Lisbon was a little shocked by the question but she nodded.

"Yeah, I'd love to keep her at my place. But if anything happens, we're bringing her to a safe house." She said sternly, and everyone nodded.

So it was set.

"Will I see you at all?" Lizzy asked Patrick. She didn't want to be away from him when a serial killer was after her. Plus, maybe she could help, discuss things with him.

"Probably, but not very often. Toolkin could be watching me, using me to find you. So far, me, and the CBI are the only connections he knows about." Patrick said.

Then something came into her head. He only knows about Patrick being her brother and that she's assisting him at the CBI. He knows nothing about her, and he doesn't have a history of looking into his victim's lives, so he knows nothing about Johnny.

Her throat filled with a tiny bit of hope.

"He doesn't know about Johnny." She said to the adults surrounding her. "Can he visit me?" she asked desperately.

"That actually wouldn't be a bad idea. Lisbon can't stay with her at all times, and neither can any of us." Grace said.

Lizzy looked at Patrick, he was thinking, but it didn't take him long to lift his head and speak.

"I don't see why not. And he could possibly help us. Assist us, relay messages to Lizzy in case she has any input or keep her safe when we can't be at Lisbon's house." Patrick said.

Lizzy beamed at him. At least Johnny could be with her. That was a plus. She was scared, and she didn't want to be alone at all, even if It was at Lisbon's house.

The rest of the team nodded. All they had to do now was find a way to get Johnny to Lisbon's. He could probably walk, but it wasn't safe for a teenager to walk around the city at night. It wasn't like living in a carnival.

Grace said that she'd be willing to go pick him up, so all they had to now was call him and explain everything.

Great. She was totally looking forward to that.

"Here's a pre paid cell phone incase he's trying to trace our calls." Cho said and handed her the phone.

Lizzy dialed the number to the cell phone that Johnny and Gramps used as a house phone in their trailer. He picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?" he asked sleepily, he was in bed. Wow, it was later then she thought.

"Johnny?" Lizzy asked into the phone.

"Lizzy? Hey, what's up?" he asked.

"Well, umm, we went to a scene, for a case, and it's a serial killer, and well…" she hesitated, "He's chosen me as his next victim." She said slowly, and heard his breath catch.

"I'm going to be staying with Lisbon but she can't be there all the time so we need you to stay with me too." She said quietly.

"Umm, yeah. Of course" he said shakily.

"Agent VanPelt is on her way to pick you up, tell Gramps to take his medicine while he's gone, and that I say hi?" she asked trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Okay. He's usually pretty good about taking his meds. He should be okay, I'll explain the situation to him." He said quietly.

"Alright, I'll see you when you get to the CBI" Lizzy said, they said their goodbyes, and she hung up the phone, handing it back to Cho.

"Well, it's settled. He can come. He's watching for Grace now." Lizzy said to the rest of the team, and they nodded.

It was silent in the bullpen for a few minutes. Letting everything sink in made Lizzy anxious and fidgety. She fiddled with the homemade bracelets on her right wrist and one of them came undone and fell to the ground.

Patrick picked it up and put it back onto her wrist. The action set everyone free from their shock.

"Alright, Rigsby, look into Toolkin. Figure out where he goes, with who, and when. We need to start somewhere." Lisbon began,

"Cho, when Grace get's back with Johnny, go with her to the victim's family, and question them about Toolkin as much as you can." Cho nodded and went to his desk to call Jenny Spring's family.

"Jane, you can come and help Lizzy and Johnny get settled in at my place, and say whatever needs to be said. If you want to be safe you and Lizzy can lay low in the car on the way there." Lisbon said to Patrick.

"Yeah, I think that'll be a good idea. Lizzy can lay low in your car, but I'll take my car alone. That way, if he is watching, he'll think I left Lizzy here and that I'm just meeting you at your house." Patrick said and she blushed only slightly. Jane and Lizzy were the only ones to notice.

Lisbon went into her office and Patrick and Lizzy went up to the attic to pack her bag.

In the elevator Lizzy leaned into her big brother. Patrick wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders and looked down at her. She could tell he wanted to say something, but he didn't because the elevator doors slid open.

They headed into their newly made home and found a small bag that could fit a good amount of clothes. She put two pairs of jeans, three shirts and two pairs of shorts, leaving the rest just in case. They didn't want it to look like she had left, just in case Toolkin found his way into the CBI, which was doubtful. He wasn't that cunning.

When leaving their tiny attic, at the last minute, she grabbed Rigsby's leather jacket, well her leather jacket. It always brought her comfort.

Entering the bullpen, Patrick made them another cup of tea and they sat on the couch, waiting for Grace to get back to the CBI with Johnny. As they were finishing their tea, Lisbon came out of her office and sat down on the other side of Lizzy.

Patrick wrapped his arm around Lizzy while Lisbon held her hand. They probably looked like a family, Lizzy thought to herself. That made her smile a small, secret smile. When Red John was dead, maybe they would be.

But Red John wasn't the serial killer that was the problem at the moment.

There was a loud thumping sound of the door being slammed open, Johnny sprinting into the bullpen with Grace on his tail. He skidded to a stop in front of Lizzy and her two protectors on the couch.

Lizzy looked up from Patrick's shoulder, let go of Lisbon's hand and ran toward him. Johnny's arms enveloped her, wrapping around her shoulders, and she squeezed his waste as tight as she could.

"I won't let anyone near you" he whispered in her ear so that only she could hear, "None of us will."

She nodded into his shoulder, and breathed in his scent, and immediately felt safe, just like when she hugged Patrick.

"I know. I'm just glad you're here." She whispered back. Her and Johnny held each other for a long time, just like when they were in the attic and the parking lot.

Finally Lisbon sauntered up behind them and cleared her throat.

"We've got to get going. Lizzy you're going to hide low in the car while Johnny sits in the front seat and Jane will follow not long after in his car." She said, explaining the situation.

"Wait, so he's stalking her?" Johnny asked Lisbon.

"Well not that we know of, but we just want to be safe. Cho and Rigsby are keeping tabs on him, so they'll let us know if anything suspicious happens." Lisbon and the two agents nodded to Johnny from their desks.

Johnny picked up her bag, and Lizzy pulled on Rigsby's leather coat, even though it was a warm night, she'd felt a chill do to being terrified.

Lizzy hugged Cho who merely rubbed her head, and then she hugged Grace who said, "You're going to be fine. We wont let anyone near you." and then she moved to hug Rigsby.

She'd gotten close to Rigsby while living at the CBI with Patrick. He'd become a good friend, almost like a second older brother. She hugged him tight around the waste and he squeezed her for a second.

"You'll be fine, kiddo, you'll be fine." He said and she released him and headed to the elevator with Lisbon and Johnny. Patrick would wait for a few minutes, until they were gone and then head to Lisbon's place.

Lizzy was very nervous. She was paranoid that some string would come loose in their perfectly knitted plan, but she knew she was just fretting. Everything would be fine. She'd be fine, just as Rigsby had said.

xxxxxxxThe Mentalistxxxxxxxxxx

When they arrived at Lisbon's apartment it was 11 o'clock, not very late for Lizzy, yet she was exhausted.

They walked into the foyer and then her living room. It wasn't a big apartment, but it wasn't small either. There was a nice leather couch and chair, and a television in her living room, with one bookshelf on the wall. Her kitchen came off of that room and the laundry room and bathroom off of that, and there were to bedrooms upstairs.

"Well this is it." Lisbon said and took Lizzy's bag from Johnny and set it at the bottom of the stairs.

Lizzy and Johnny walked over to the couch and sat, holding hands. Patrick would love this couch, Lizzy thought, unless of course, he already did love it because he's been here before. Oh, she didn't doubt that for a second. Those thoughts made her grin, the only happy thing that could come to mind for the moment.

Lisbon had just started the kettle when Patrick walked in, he looked disheveled and sad, like he'd had a break down while he was driving here.

"Hey, Lisbon, I'm going to buy you a new lock tomorrow because that one is ridiculously flimsy, and unlocks with the smallest touch of a paperclip." He said smiling to his boss, "Oh, good you put the kettle on." He added.

Lisbon rolled her eyes, "Jane, your not supposed to pick my lock, and alright." She said addressing his comment about buying her a new one.

Lizzy and Johnny smiled to each other. So Johnny saw it too, maybe after Red John was dead they could work together and nudge this relationship forwards a bit.

While Patrick was looking through the cupboards to find his favorite tea, that Lisbon for some reason kept in her home, Lizzy got up to give him a hug, leaving Johnny sitting on the couch alone.

"Are you gonna stay tonight?" she asked into his back, while he still rummaged around for tea.

"No, I'm afraid not. Not tonight when he knows that I could've figured it out. Maybe tomorrow or Wednesday." He said turning and hugging her back with the tea in his hands.

Lizzy nodded but felt tears spring from her eyes.

"Patrick, you'll get him won't you? You and Lisbon and the team you'll get him?" she asked looking up at him. She knew that they would but she needed to hear it from him. She needed it to be said out loud.

"Yes we'll get him" Patrick said taking her by the shoulders and looking down into her face, "Lisbon and I will make him pay for his previous murders and for trying to get you." he said, his voice thick with emotion.

Lisbon came over and placed a hand on Patrick's back, looking over his shoulder at her, "He can't hide from us, not when we have the best player at hide-and-seek on our side." She said, looking at Patrick and patted him on his shoulder.

Patrick straightened and chuckled.

"Yes, you are right my dear Lisbon, I am the master of hide-and-seek." He said and touched Lisbon's arm gently then went to get a tea cup.

Lizzy could feel the tension building between these two, she could almost grasp it with her fingers.

"I'll help too" Johnny said wrapping his arms around her waste from behind, "I'll do whatever they need me to do to keep you safe."

"I know you will" Lizzy said reaching her arm behind and ruffling his bushy hair, Patrick winked at her and she blushed furiously.

Lizzy sat in between Johnny and Patrick on the couch while Lisbon sat in the leather chair.

"So here's what we're gonna do." Lisbon said, "Cho and Rigsby will alert us when something happens, and I'm sure it will, and then we'll bring him in and go from there."

"Yeah, that's really all we can do so far." Patrick agreed, "Once I can talk to him in an interrogation room I can probably find a way to trap him somehow. Make him admit his crimes. Insult his works of art, it should be fairly easy." He said, but Lizzy could hear the hint of terror in his voice.

After saying goodbye to Patrick six times Lizzy was finally ready to get some sleep, yet she'd forgotten to bring pajamas.

"I have an old football jersey you can wear." Lisbon said when Lizzy had discovered her predicament.

"Do you have a change of clothes?" Lisbon asked Johnny.

"Yeah, only two, but as long as I can use the washer and dryer I should be okay" he said and Lisbon nodded.

"I've only got one guest room so Johnny's going to have to sleep on the couch." Lisbon said.

"But Lisbon, I- I don't really wanna be alone. Come on, we've known each other all of our lives. We can share a bed, it's not like we haven't before" Lizzy said.

Truthfully she really didn't want to be alone, but she could still feel herself blushing a little.

"Fine, but no- no funny business" Lisbon said wagging her finger back and forth.

Lizzy and Johnny nodded and walked up the stairs.

Johnny had on a pair of gym shorts and a white t-shirt, simple comfortable clothes suitable for sleeping in.

Lizzy was wearing one of Lisbon's football jersey's, it came a little farther down then mid thigh, let's face it, she was smaller then Lisbon.

Johnny crawled into bed and got comfortable then looked up at Lizzy who had turned the lamp off but was staring out the window.

She was scared. What if he could see her right now, looking out the window? What if Johnny got killed because he was trying to protect her? Or Patrick? She shivered.

She knew Patrick wouldn't get killed because Lisbon just wouldn't allow that, but what if Johnny was killed? She didn't know if she could handle it.

"Well, aren't you coming?" he asked with a smirk on his face. That was Johnny for ya. Always trying to make you smile when you weren't.

"Yeah I'm coming." She said grinning back and crawled in next to him. Johnny pulled her close, up against his flat hard stomach, and wrapped his arms around her waste. She snuggled into him, relishing in his warmth.

Lizzy finally fell asleep listening to Johnny's even breathing, and was thankfully, too tired to dream.

**Hope you guys liked this chapter.. am I doing a good job? You guys have anything YOU want to happen? Just comment please! And I hope you're loving it, cuz I am. :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hope you guys are liking it so far. I am. This is my first fic ever so bear with me. I can't believe I'm already on chapter 10! :0 I don't think there will be a lot of chapters left, I'm still not sure how long I'm going to make the story. **

**Enjoy****J**

**Chapter 10**

**Jane's PoV**

This whole serial killer ordeal was really messing up Jane's life. Whether it was facing Red John or trying to hide his younger sister from a creep named Toolkin. He really wasn't sure how much more he could take.

He had watched from the couch in the bullpen as Lizzy embraced her childhood friend, Johnny. They hugged like it was last time they would ever see each other. And they did that every time they hugged. Jane felt a small pang of jealousy, as he wished that he and Lisbon could do the same.

On the drive to Lisbon's house he'd almost lost it. Driving on an empty road, headlights reflecting off of the pavement, he started thinking. In the silence, his thoughts thundered around in his mind. Worry crept over him like a rain cloud.

How could he have let this serial killer even come close to his sister? What if they couldn't keep him away? Guilt swept through his veins. He knew that Lizzy would be angry at him for blaming himself, and Lisbon too, but he couldn't help it. _It was his fault._

He ended up pulling over on the side of the road, gripping his curls, and crying as he leaned his head on the steering wheel. Lifting his head, Jane wiped his eyes and took a swig from a water bottle. He took a deep breath and started the car. He needed to be strong for Lizzy, and deep down he knew that Lisbon would be strong for him.

Walking to his car after Lizzy had said goodbye to him about six times was one of the most difficult things he'd done in a very long time. He didn't want to leave her side, but he knew that he had too, if they were going to try and lead Toolkin away from her as much as they possibly could. The fact that Lisbon would be there eased his worry a little.

As he was unlocking his car Lisbon walked out and down the walk.

"You don't want me to leave either?" Jane asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well, no not really if I'm being truthful." Lisbon said grinning, "But I just wanted to tell you to be careful, please don't go doing something foolish." she said gently.

A small wave of happiness surged inside Jane. She didn't want him to leave. It was a nice thought.

"What makes you think I'm going to do something foolish?" Jane asked innocently fully aware that he knew the answer. He just wanted to prolong their conversation.

"Pfftt. You know full well why I think you'll do something foolish. Just don't go try and talk to him, Jane. I don't want a Panzer case all over again." Lisbon said looking him in the eyes.

"I promise I wont do anything foolish." Jane said holding her gaze.

"Good" she said clearing her throat.

"I'm scared Lisbon.." he said quietly, looking down at his shoes.

Lisbon strode over, gripped his arms with her tiny hands and looked up at him.

"Listen to me Jane. We are going to get Toolkin. You know why? Because we're so many steps ahead of him, and because of you. You can solve the puzzle before we have all the pieces." she said in a calm voice.

"You think?" Jane asked, a small smile turning the corners of his mouth.

"I know" Lisbon said squeezing his arm.

"Thanks Lisbon. I know we'll catch him. I just needed to hear it from someone other than myself. Plus, nobody gets by Agent Lisbon." he said grinning down at her.

"You're right. Nobody does." she laughed. They stood there for a moment and then she wrapped her arms around his waste. The gesture surprised him. He was unsure of what was happening for a moment but he quickly melted into her embrace and wrapped his arms around her tiny frame.

"Everything's going to be fine Jane. I'll keep her safe." Lisbon said into his chest.

"I know. You have no idea how grateful I am, Lisbon. If I had a dollar for every time I owed you I'd be a very wealthy man." he said in her ear.

Jane felt her smile against him and it warmed his heart.

"No you'd be bankrupt because you'd be giving me that money." Lisbon said laughing. Leave it to Lisbon to say something like that.

He chuckled, squeezed her one more time, and released her from his embrace. Reluctantly.

"I should be going." Jane said.

"And I should get back inside. Keeping an eye on those two." Lisbon said.

"Yes, don't let Johnny try anything funny," Jane said smiling, "But I don't think he will, he loves her." Jane said looking at Lisbon.

"She wont let him. She loves him too." Lisbon replied, holding his gaze, and Jane had a feeling that they weren't talking about Lizzy and Johnny anymore.

"I'll see you at work tomorrow, Lisbon." Jane said nodding to his coworker and sliding into the drivers seat of his car.

"Bye, Jane." she said quietly, and waved, watching him drive all the way down her street.

**XxxTheMentalistXxxxxx**

That night, before Jane got back to the CBI he went somewhere he'd only ever been twice. Sitting in front of Angela and Charlotte's graves in the moonlight made him sad, but for once, not guilty.

He needed someone to talk to, someone he knew would listen and only listen. He didn't want advice or help he just wanted someone to listen to him. They probably weren't up there in the sky looking down at him from thrones on the clouds but _if _they were, he knew they would listen.

"I swore after you died that I would never make a mistake as terrible as I did that day." Jane said hugging his knees and looking up at the sky.

"If you can hear me, please, look after her. Help me throw this man into the depths of Tartarus because so help me God if he gets his hands on Lizzy or Lisbon I don't know that I'll be able to take it."

A single tear slid down Jane's cheek, he froze, his body going rigid, because he could swear that he felt someone wipe the tear from his face.

**XxxTheMentalistxxXxxx**

The next morning Jane sat on his couch, legs crossed, and a cup of tea in his hands. He was up early, not even Jim, the guard outside, was there yet. He'd turned on the lights in the CBI Crimes unit but no where else.

He sipped his tea and he waited.

Slowly but surely people started arriving to work. Lisbon, for once, didn't arrive first because she had company, and was probably being extra precautious.

People moved fast around him as he sat on his couch, Toolkin's file in hand, and thought. It was like he was stuck in slow motion while everyone else around him was on fast forward.

"Hey, Jane,… Jane?" he heard Lisbon's voice seeping into his ears. He looked up quickly from his daze.

"Yes, Lisbon?" Jane asked.

"Find anything?" she asked nodding to the file in his hands.

"Nothing that we didn't already know." Jane said with a sigh.

"Well, don't give up hope." she said nudging his arm and heading back to her office.

Cho got in next and then Grace and then Rigsby. They said good morning and Jane smiled warmly at them, but it didn't reach his eyes. He knows they noticed.

So far they hadn't gotten anything useful. They found that he was arrested for sexually assaulting a young girl 10 years previous but nothing they could punish him for currently.

Jane was beginning to get restless. He couldn't find a comfortable position on his couch and what was left of his tea was cold. He got up and dumped the remnants of his tea into the sink and made his way to Lisbon's office.

He didn't bother knocking, he never had too, even if she said she wanted him too she liked it when he didn't. He could tell. As soon as he opened the door she smiled at him, and he shivered just a little. Striding towards the couch he smiled back and then sat down.

"How're things?" Lisbon asked him.

"Slow" Jane said simply. He was restless again. Fidgeting and trying to get comfortable but his mind was elsewhere.

"She's fine, Jane." Lisbon said looking at him over her nose from her desk.

"But how do you _know _that she's fine?" he asked quietly.

"Because, I've been texting Johnny every few hours.." Lisbon said slowly holding up her phone.

"And you didn't tell me?" he asked standing up and taking two long strides to her desk.

"I didn't want it to distract you from the case. You're very protective of her and you could loose track of what we need to focus on." Lisbon explained.

"You should've told me" Jane said grudgingly but then added, "But I understand." and turned back towards the couch. He could feel Lisbon hesitating.

"Would you like to call her, Jane?" Lisbon asked finally.

"Thanks Lisbon." he said whirling in a circle and ripping the phone from her fingers. He dialed the number

"Hello, Agent Lisbon?" Johnny answered.

"umm, no, it's Patrick." Jane said smiling a little.

"Oh, hey Patrick… I'm guessing you wanna talk to Lizzy?" he asked.

"Smart man." Jane replied.

"One second, she's in the bathroom, lemme just let her know." Johnny said. Jane heard the boy knock on a door and the faint sound of Lizzy's voice. "Patrick's on the phone. He wants to talk to you." Jane heard him say, his voice distant from the receiver. The toilet flushed and he heard a door bang open.

"Patrick?" Lizzy asked excitedly.

"Hey kiddo." Jane said, grinning wildly. It was so reassuring to hear her voice. To know for absolute certainty that she was safe.

"Gosh, I miss you Patrick. Have you found anything?" she asked.

"We haven't found anything yet unfortunately, and I miss you too. I've been kinda worried." Jane told her.

"Well, I'm fine. Lisbon gave Johnny a taser and she's here at night. Even though she's small, I feel safe with her. I know she can keep me safe." Lizzy assured him.

"Oh, I know she can keep you safe, she's saved my butt more times then I can count." Jane said chuckling and Lisbon looked at him curiously.

"She'd never let you get in danger, Patrick. If anyone killed you I wouldn't be surprised if she went out and arrested them and then watched them suffer in the electric chair." Lizzy said laughing.

"Yeah, well, let's hope that doesn't happen." Jane said smiling, and blushing just a little, "How're things? Do you want me to give Lisbon anything to get you? Books? Movies?" he asked.

"Now that you mention it, I could go for a deck of cards." she said, which was not a surprise, "I could show Johnny some card tricks that you taught me.. Oh and some movies would be great. Particularly action movies, Batman, Transformers, King Arthur. Those are some of our favorites."

"I guess that's not surprising considering all the comic books that you read." Jane said laughing, "You and Johnny went to the movies often?" he asked.

"Whenever we were outside a town with a movie theater that was close to the carnival." she said. "we usually snuck in, money was tight." she explained.

"umm Jane? We really need to get back to the case, and we don't want the phone call to be too long. Just in case." Lisbon interrupted. He nodded to her.

"Alright, Lizzy I gotta go, but I'll let Lisbon know about the movies and deck of cards, okay?" Jane said reluctantly.

"Okay," he could hear the disappointment in her voice, "I love you Patrick."

"Love you too, kiddo." he said quietly and hung up.

"Thanks again Lisbon. I really needed to talk to her." Jane said handing Lisbon back her phone. Their fingers touched and Jane felt the small touch of an electric current jolt through his fingers and into his entire body. Geez, it was not healthy that he reacted this way and they hadn't even caught Red John. He needed to control his emotions.

"You're welcome Jane," she said, "So?" she asked, referring to the phone conversation.

"She told me not to worry because you can keep her safe." Jane said smiling and Lisbon did that cute thing where she smiled and looked down at her shoes, embarrassed.

"She also said that she wants a deck of cards and some movies. Batman, Transformers, and King Arthur to be exact." Jane added smiling and how unique his sister was. What a dork.

"I have a few decks of cards somewhere at home, and I can probably get those movies from Red Book." Lisbon said.

Jane nodded and sat back down on her couch. He then laid down with his hands interlaced behind his head and shut his eyes.

He needed to think.

He knew exactly how he would trap Toolkin in the interrogation room, he just need to get him there. But how? He could feel the headache coming on from furrowing his eye brows to violently, thinking too hard and forced himself to relax.

Grace had found that he had sexually assaulted a young girl around ten years ago. All of his victims were girls, yet when seen at the crime they had no obvious indications that they were sexually assaulted. _but, _they were also arranged pieces.

A light bulb went off in his head.

He needed the rape kit of the victim, and of his other victims. If there was even one done, on his previous ones. And what was the name of the girl that he assaulted?

Thoughts were jumbling in his head like a puzzle that wasn't put together yet and he needed to fit them faster then his fingers could put them together.

"Lisbon, what was the name of the girl that Toolkin assaulted 10 years ago?" Jane asked opening his eyes and looking at her.

"Umm, " she looked through some papers on her desk, "Melissa Tanning, why?"

"What was the name of his first victim?" Jane asked, answering her question with another question.

Lisbon's eyes widened at the connection that they'd missed, "Hayley Tanning…"

"Exactly, Lisbon. I can't believe I missed it. Hayley Tanning is the daughter of the woman he raped. Not his daughter, he wouldn't have killed her if that were so, but Melissa Tanning got him arrested. She told on him. And so, 5 years later he kills her daughter in revenge." Jane said.

"Great job Jane, but we still don't have anything to bring him in on." Lisbon said sadly.

Grace walked in at the perfect time, "Boss, Jane, the rape kit came back. Toolkin's DNA. He raped her."

"Take Cho, and bring him in." Lisbon said standing and started leaving her office.

Jane grabbed her arm.

"Wait Lisbon, I umm, wanted to tell you something." he said quietly.

"What's up Jane?" she asked looking up at him with a hint of concern. Jane, still holding onto her arm, dragged her to the couch and they sat down.

"Last night, after I left your place I, well, I went to Angela and Charlotte's graves." he said. Lisbon's eyes widened.

"Jane,.." she began.

"Ahh- Let me finish." Jane held up a finger to her lips, "This has nothing to do with Red John, I promise." Lisbon nodded for him to continue and he lowered her finger.

"I did something that I've never done before. I looked up at the sky and I asked them for help. I didn't think that they'd hear me, I mean they're dead. But, I could've sworn I felt someone brush a tear from my cheek, and then today, I figure everything out and the rape kit comes back positive…" he explained.

"Wait, Jane, are you trying to tell me that you might possibly believe in God?" Lisbon asked smiling a little.

Jane reached out and took Lisbon's golden cross between his fore finger and thumb. He rubbed his finger print away and watched it gleam.

All Jane did was nod. Lisbon took the hand that was holding her necklace and squeezed it.

Jane couldn't believe it himself, but after what he'd experienced last night and today, he thought that maybe there really was a God.

And for the first time in his entire life, Jane found himself wondering if he's go to heaven.

**So that was chapter 10. I thought the religion was a good way to make the relationship between Lisbon and Jane even closer. But I'm not guaranteeing that Jane will keep believing… :0 lol. Hope you guys liked it! Please comment and stuff! 3**


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay, guys, ready for a new chapter? I think this toolkin business is almost over and then we can get to Redjohn and JISBON. :00 haha. But patience young paduons. *sorry, star wars reference* and I apologize for the mega fluff in this chapter. **

**Lizzy's PoV**

**Chapter 11**

Lizzy woke up the next morning in Johnny's arms. The sun was shining in on them and her head was resting on his chest. His arms were around her waste and his fingers locked together so she couldn't escape.

She smiled. She could get used to this. Being like this with him made her heart flutter just a little. She looked up at him, then reached up with her hand and smacked his face gently.

"Good morning." he said grinning and chuckling a little at how she'd woken him up.

"Morning. Sleep well?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, just fine. Better then I have since you left the carnival. You?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Good, considering the circumstances. I didn't have any nightmares which is good." Lizzy said.

"Yeah well, that's what I'm here for." he said smiling down at her. She laid her head back on his chest, tracing an 8 on his rib cage with her finger.

"I'm glad you're here. If you weren't I don't know if I'd be able to handle it." she said into his shirt.

"Don't worry I don't plan on going anywhere." he said and kissed the top of her head.

"Good." she said simply and she could feel his heart rate speed up under her cheek. Johnny was hesitating like he wanted to tell her something.

"Alright, out with it." Lizzy said looking up at him again.

"Gosh, Lizzy sometimes I hate it when you do that." he said grinning, "But well, I've been meaning to tell you something."

Lizzy furrowed her brow. _I wonder what he's going on about_, she thought.

"I'm listening Johnny, you don't have to keep anything from me." she said reassuringly. Johnny lifted one of his hands and pushed it through her short messy curls. Letting one of them wrap around his finger.

"I need to tell you this. I was afraid at first but when you called and told me a serial killer was after you I knew it was know or never. And I just can't deal with never. Lizzy, I love you."

Lizzy's eyes widened, her heart beat as fast as she'd ever felt it and she blushed furiously.

"Well?" he said sitting up a little, so nervous that his voice shook.

A smile slowly spread on her face.

"What?" he asked.

"Johnny, I don't know why _you _were scared to tell me that. I was afraid that you didn't love me. I love you. Patrick said you loved me but you know, I just didn't know." she said quickly.

Johnny smiled the biggest smile that she'd ever seen on his face. He laughed with joy then grabbed her face and kissed her. His lips were soft and warm, it was her first kiss. And she wouldn't have wanted it to be any other way.

Lizzy pulled away and hugged him furiously.

"You have no idea how happy I am right now." she said giggling.

"Oh I think I have a pretty good idea." he said chuckling and squeezing her tighter.

"Let's go make breakfast." she said and scooted out of bed.

"I should ask Agent Lisbon where she get's those football jersey's. I needa get you one of those." Johnny said, his eyes moving up and down her body.

Lizzy blushed furiously. Even though they'd confessed her feelings for each other she was still unbelievably shy. She always has been. Patrick's the only one she's not shy around.

"Meh." she said waving her hand dismissively, "I'm gonna use the bathroom real quick." she said and went into Lisbon's tiny bathroom. Then she heard a knock on the door.

"Miss me already?" she asked raising an eyebrow and washing her hands.

"It's Patrick on the phone. He wants to talk to you." Johnny said to her through the door.

Happiness surged through her again, but this time it was because she could talk to Patrick. She'd missed him and it'd only been one night since she saw him. She just wished that they didn't have to be separated because of a stupid serial killer. He was her brother. They had a connection that was deeper then blood or DNA. She didn't know how to explain it, but it was there flowing through her veins, like when they met her body started creating a new cell that made it so she needed to be close to Patrick. Patrick and Johnny. And right now she only had one of them and if it was like that for too long she didn't know if she could take it.

She'd talked to Patrick for only a few minutes. So far he hadn't gotten anywhere with the case and he was going to tell Lisbon to get them some cards and a few movies.

"I love you, Patrick" she said into the phone.

"Love you too, kiddo" Patrick said and hung up. She handed the phone back to Johnny.

"Lisbon's gonna bring us some cards and movies when she gets a chance." Lizzy told him.

"King Arthur?" he asked raising his eyebrows. It was his favorite and Batman was hers.

"Yes," she said chuckling. I'm gonna change, my legs are cold." Lizzy said and Johnny made a small bereft sound. His lip jutted out in a pout, and she rolled her eyes.

Lizzy went in the closet and found her bag. She pulled out a pair of baggy black sweatpants and a snug dark blue t-shirt. She changed in the bathroom and when she came out Johnny was changed too. He was wearing his wranglers jeans that had a hole in one knee and a hole in the butt, with a black t-shirt.

"What?" Johnny asked when she was just looking at him.

"I'm just admiring you. I love those jeans the way you love the football jersey" she said smiling and headed down the stairs leaving him blushing and smiling a little in the bedroom.

She headed to the stove and grabbed the tea pot and put it over the stove and then went searching for what tea Lisbon had in her cupboards. Apparently the only tea she had was the kind that Patrick drank. She could deal with that.

It was cute knowing that Lisbon bought tea for Patrick. They really needed to get together. It was bothering her that they just avoided their feelings when they were around like there was a dead mouse on the floor and neither of them wanted to pick it up.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Johnny asked walking down the stairs and wrapping his arms around her waste from behind.

"Can you make omelets?" she asked. Johnny always made the best omelets back when they were at the carnival. Gramps had taught him at a young age because his eye sight was going. Johnny's gramps was practically legally blind. Which got her thinking…

"Is Gramps gonna be okay when you're gone?" She asked as he checked the fridge for eggs. She saw the slight worry that filled his eyes when she mentioned Johnny's grandfather.

"Yeah he'll be fine. I made him a bunch of meals before I left and froze them so he can just cook them up in the microwave and labeled all of his medicine in big letters. He'll take it." Johnny explained.

"What kind of omelet would you like milady?" he asked.

"I dunno. Does Lisbon have any ham? A ham and cheese one would be delicious." Lizzy asked.

"Lemme check." he said and squatted to look in some of the fridge drawers. Damn, did he have a nice butt. Those jeans hugged his butt nicely and the hole showed his Hanes boxer briefs. She swallowed.

"Found some!' he said holding up some lunch meat ham, and then looked at her face and grinned.

"Like what you see?" he asked wriggling his butt at her.

"Yes, actually I do." she said a lunged forward pinching his right butt cheek. He yelped in surprise and she laughed harder then she'd laughed in a while.

After they ate breakfast Lisbon texted and informed them where the cards were. She spent a few hours trying to teach Johnny how to do some card tricks and tricking him with others.

Lisbon called and said she was on her way with the movies and information about a lead in the case.

Lizzy was showing Johnny a disappearing coin trick when Lisbon walked in.

"Hey Lisbon" they said at the same time smiling at her.

"Hey guys, I brought some movies. Let's see." she said setting her keys on the table and pulled them out f a grocery bag, "King Arthur, transformers, and I wasn't sure which Batman you wanted so I just got them all."

"That's even better" Lizzy said smiling.

"I'm just happy you got King Arthur" Johnny chimed in, slinging his arm around Lizzy's shoulders.

Lisbon chuckled.

"So Jane found a lead in the case." Lisbon said sitting down in front of them, "He found out that his first victim is the daughter of the woman he sexually assaulted ten years ago and the rape kit for the recent victim came up positive which is all Jane needs to get a confession from him." Lisbon explained.

"What a sicko" Johnny said scrunching his face in disgust and Lisbon nodded.

"I knew Patrick and the team could do it. You guys are all so great at this." Lizzy said.

"Yeah, well, it's our job. We have to be." Lisbon said getting up to leave.

"You're leaving?" Lizzy asked standing too.

"Yeah, I'd stay Lizzy but I really need to get back to CBI. Rigsby and Cho are bringing in Toolkin and I need to interrogate him with Jane." Lisbon said.

"You guys do everything together." Lizzy observed.

"Pretty much" Lisbon said looking down at her feet.

"Well, thanks for the movies Lisbon." Lizzy said hugging the Agent.

"They'll pass the time." Johnny said from the couch.

Lisbon was shocked by the hug but embraced Lizzy, and she smiled. If Lisbon was gonna be her future sister in law then she'd be fine with that. She was beginning to love her and the team a lot.

Lisbon left and Lizzy turned around to look at Johnny lounged on the couch. He was so adorable. He started shaving at 15, so this morning he had some whiskers which made him all the more attractive. He noticed her staring at him and smiled. Her heart grew inside her chest.

She pounced on him and grasped his strong jaw in her small hands, kissing his lips. He smiled against her lips and kissed her back. When she finally pulled away he was breathing heavily, and had put a pillow over the crotch of his jeans. She looked at the pillow and laughed.

"I could get used to that." he said about the kiss then noticed her silently chuckling, "Hey. Don't laugh. it's a natural bodily function." he said with a fake pout.

They snuggled on the couch and began a movie marathon, watching King Arthur first at the request of Johnny. Lizzy felt safe, which was good and it helped keep her mind off whether Patrick and the rest of the team were safe. She couldn't bare it if they weren't.

**XxxxxxTheMentalistxxxxxxXX**

**Lisbon's PoV. **

When Lizzy hugged Lisbon she didn't know what to think. The sudden show of affection had surprised her, but after a minute she couldn't help but return the gesture. Lisbon had grown very fond of Jane's little sister. Maybe it was because she felt she had a connection with her, growing up with a father who was hard to live with. But she knew that wasn't it. She had grown fond of her because she reminded her so much of Jane it was crazy.

When she heard Lizzy tell Jane that she was his sister two and a half months ago she didn't doubt it for a second. They shared the same cheek bones and hair, and even the color of their skin was the same. The only small differences were the ears and eyes. Hers were blue while Jane's were more of a blue green, but they were practically the same. She was happy that Lizzy had suddenly come into Jane's life. Into all of their lives for that matter. It seems that this little girl has brought their team closer together then they've ever been. Given them a deeper sense of family.

Now that her life was being threatened by a serial killer… well Lisbon didn't even want to think about the different endings this could have. But she had too. It's her job. For the past week she's been haunted by the events that could happen if they didn't catch Toolkin, and when they finally got something on him a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders.

She knew if she could get him and Jane in an interrogation room this whole mess would be over. Thank God they were finally bringing him in.

God.

Jane had told her that he was starting to believe in God, or heaven at least. She always had faith in Jane. She's always known that he'd realize that just hunting Red John and not making peace with Angela and Charlotte was a mistake. He'd actually tried talking to them. A small smile played on her lips. She was so proud of him. He had no idea how much she cared for him. She cared so, so much. So much that it hurt, but she was willing to go through any amount of pain to keep him safe and sane. That's what mattered most to her.

Lisbon pulled into the CBI parking lot and headed into the building. She tapped her foot anxiously and looked around her, taking in the details of the elevator. She was almost to her office. She could barely contain her patience. Toolkin was sitting in an interrogation room and Jane was most likely plotting ways to kill him on the other side of the glass.

Lisbon walked down the hallway and came to a stop in front of VanPelt's desk.

"Hey Boss, Jane and Cho have Toolkin sitting in interrogation, he's alone right now. I think Cho's just keeping Jane at bay on the other side of the glass." VanPelt informed her.

_Called it._ She knew Jane would be itching to see Toolkin, but she was glad he waited for her. Lisbon nodded and started toward interrogation. She walked in to find Cho standing in front of Jane, trapping the consultant into a corner.

"Come on, Cho. Lisbon'll be here any minute, let me just get a headstart." Jane begged.

"No." the stoic agent deadpanned. "Lisbon said wait for her. So we wait."

"Since when do you always do what Lisbon says?" Jane asked, trying to get to Cho.

"Since she's my Boss. And since I wanted to keep my job." Cho replied.

"Well, it's good to know that Cho is still loyal, unlike certain consultants that I know of." Lisbon said snarkily, letting them know of her presence.

"Lisbon! I was just telling Cho here that we needed to wait for you in order to talk to the female molesting cretin sitting on the other side of this mirror." Jane said hopping into the air and scooting past Cho to stand in front of her.

"Oh, sure. I know you're lying Jane, no need to hide it. It's obvious that you'd want to get in there as soon as you could. But thank you for waiting for me." She said looking at Cho in thanks and then up at her consultant.

"Anything for you, Lisbon." Jane said grinning down at her. "Now can I talk to him?" he whined.

"Yes." she nodded and he ran for the door but she stopped him. Grabbing his arm she looked him in the eye, "Nothing but talking, Jane. I mean it. He doesn't even know that you know he's a murderer let alone after Lizzy."

"My words are all that I need." he said simply and sprinted out the door. Lisbon had to jog to catch up to him so they could walk in together.

Lisbon wanted to turn around and walk out as soon as she walked in. Sean Toolkin was sitting in the chair, shoulders slightly hunched over and in like he was afraid to be touched. His hands were folded in his lap and he looked at them greedily with his beady eyes magnified by his glasses. His left eye drooped and his nostrils were flared. He was possibly, the creepiest man Lisbon had ever seen.

"Agent Lisbon, Mr. Jane, what a nice way to treat a guest. I really didn't expect to be alone this whole time." Toolkin said as Lisbon and Jane sat down.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience that you feel but I'm sure you're aware that anyone sitting in an interrogation room is not a guest." Jane said coldly.

Toolkin merely smiled and nodded to acknowledge Jane's retort. It gave her the chills.

"Now, Mr. Toolkin, I'm sure you're aware that you're in here because we found you're DNA _inside _of the victim." Lisbon said calmly.

"Oh really? How'd that get there?" he asked, feigning innocence. Lisbon watched out the corner of her eye as Jane's fists clenched on his lap.

"Now we're not saying you murdered Jenny Springs, but we are charging you with rape." Lisbon said simply.

"But how do you know It was rape? She could've been willing." Toolkin said in his whispy voice.

"Well she's dead. So we're just going to charge you with rape. That's just how it's going to be." Lisbon said, her stare unwavering.

"Then why am I in here and not prison?" he asked.

"We need your help." Jane said quietly.

"You need _my _help? You expect me to help you after you told me I'm going to prison." Toolkin asked incredulously.

"Umm yeah. You see if you help us, we can get your sentence lightened." Jane said.

"Oh?" Toolkin said, listening now.

" If you were so intimate with her you might be able to help us find her killer." Lisbon added.

"How's that?" he asked.

"Well, her killed saw himself as an artist. He put bodies on display, arranged them in a way he thought was beautiful but dark. We all know that his 'art' isn't really art at all. Its just cruel and ugly and doesn't do a thing for anyone, but you might know someone that she knows who maybe consider themselves an artist?" Jane asked.

Lisbon could tell that Jane had dealt him a blow. The insult against his work had made him angry.

"I'd have to think about it." Toolkin said tightly, "But I can see where he thought of himself as an artist, Jenny did look beautiful laying there in the grass."

"She looked beautiful because she was a beautiful girl. Not because he made her that way. I don't believe this man could ever make anything remotely beautiful." Jane countered.

Toolkin fumed. He stood abruptly and got right into Jane's face.

"Everything I make is beautiful."

Jane looked up into the man's eyes, "That's where you're wrong. You destroy things that are beautiful. Life is a beautiful thing and you destroy it with the ugliness of death."

"You're under arrest for the murder of Jenny Springs, plus all the other ones you committed." Lisbon said cuffing him. She was so glad this was over and was surprised at how well Jane handled himself.

"How'd you know?" Toolkin asked Jane.

"Oh I've always known. Since I first laid eyes on you at the crime scene. You were just so proud. It was hard to miss. But I new for sure when you complimented my sister's hair. Hair is an important piece of you're art right?" Jane said with so much venom in his voice that it scared Lisbon a little.

"Ah yes. You're little companion helping solve crimes. She did have wonderful hair, a trait you share. But where'd you hide her? I couldn't seem to find her in time." Toolkin asked, his lazy eye swirling in a circle. Lisbon shivered.

Jane's eyes flicked to Lisbon and back to Toolkin in a quick motion but the killer caught it.

"Oh! At Agent Lisbon's! I should've looked there. You know Agent Lisbon you've got beautiful hair as well. If I'd known Jane's sister was staying with you I would've killed you both. The more the merrier in art." he said laughing.

Lisbon didn't have time to think before Jane had pulled Toolkin away from her and pushed him against the wall. She could've sworn she heard one of Toolkin's wrists crack, still handcuffed behind his back.

"Don't ever speak to her, or mention my sister. Ever. If you threaten her, or even try speaking to her again, I will find you and I will do things to your mind that would frighten even a killer like you. But then you wouldn't be frightened because you're mind would be so dead and blank you wouldn't remember how to put you're pants on let alone walk straight." Jane said menacingly.

"Jane, it's okay. He's cuffed. He can't do anything to me. Now just go lay on you're couch. We can't have you kill him before he's convicted." Lisbon said gently, pulling on his shoulder and guiding him away from Toolkin.

Jane let go of Toolkin slowly, nodding and turned toward her.

"I just don't want him to hurt you Lisbon."

"I know. I wont let him hurt me. Go on, I'm gonna hand him over to Jeff, and I'll come see you. Just go lay down." Lisbon said assuredly and he left the interrogation room quietly.

Lisbon turned around to face Toolkin.

"Aw, I guess Mr. Jane's sister isn't the only person he loves?" He asked cruelly.

"Bastard." was all Lisbon said an punched him in the face.

Jeff didn't question Toolkin's broken wrist or black eye. Merely took him off Lisbon's hands to bring him to his soon death.

Wow. Where the hell did that come from? Jane actually used physical contact to threaten someone. Well, sort of. He threatened Toolkin about hurting his mind, not exactly physical. But still, he actually pushed him. For her. It was flattering really. Knowing that Jane cared for her so much. But they still needed to talk. He can't just threaten people inside the CBI, even if they are serial killers.

Lisbon listened as her footsteps echoed down the hallway. It was quiet, she'd told the team to go home because it had gotten late and everyone was worn out from this case. The only people left were her, Jane and a few night guards.

She walked up to the couch and nudged Jane's arm with her knee.

"Jane, wake up." he didn't move so she nudged him again. Jane sat up and glared at her mockingly.

"Goodness gracious, woman. I'm awake."

"Jane, what was that?" she asked.

"What was what, Lisbon?" he asked, pretending to be clueless.

"Jane, you can't threaten people in interrogation. It can effect the outcome of the case. You know that. Not to mention you also broke his wrist." Lisbon scolded.

"Good. He deserved it. And much more to be honest." Jane said grudgingly.

"Well, next time you feel the urge to shove a murder against a wall and break his wrist don't." Lisbon said.

"Alright, alright. It won't happen again. Its just that he threatened you, and Lizzy, and I don't know what came over me." he said looking down at his feet.

Lisbon bent down so she could look into his eyes and grasped his shoulders with her tiny hands.

"Thank you. But I can protect myself. You just worry about Lizzy."

"I know you can protect yourself Lisbon, but I care about you. It's hard not to threaten people for you." Jane said smiling a little, holding her gaze.

"Fine. But if you can threaten people for me I can do the same for you." she said straightening.

"Now Lisbon, I'm flattered but you know why I can't let you do that to a full extent." Jane said standing from the couch, facing her.

"And why is that?" Lisbon asked looking up at him, her brows furrowed and her lip jutted out in a pout. This man was infuriating. He could threaten people for her and show that he cared but she couldn't do the same for him? That was a bunch of bullshit if she ever heard any.

"Because, Lisbon, threatening people for me, shows that you care even more then you've shown in the past. And that's too much of a risk." he said gently.

"A risk?" she asked incredulously, but then she understood. "You're afraid Red John's going to come after me? Jane, once again I can protect myself and I'm pretty sure he knows that we're best friends Jane. How could he not? So me showing or not showing that I care wont make a difference." Lisbon said through her teeth.

"We're best friends?" Jane asked grinning. Seriously? That's what he got out of that? He's trying to avoid the conversation. But how could she deny that smile? She couldn't. Damn it.

"Yes, Jane we're best friends." Lisbon said smiling back at him and chuckling a little.

He smiled even wider at her and she saw his eyes glistening like he was on the verge of tears. He bent down and wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him back without hesitation this time. Rubbing reassuring circles on his back. What was up with Jane lately? He just seemed more emotional, and… touchy. This was the second time he's hugged her this month. It was starting to worry her.

"Jane are you okay?" Lisbon asked.

"Yeah" he said nodding and speaking into her shoulder, "I just don't want to loose you and Lizzy, and it's terrifying knowing that every time I get close to someone he just takes them away."

Lisbon pulled back only slightly and took his face in her hands, "Jane, listen to me. He's not going to touch me, or Lizzy, or the team, or you. Okay? We've all been through too much to back down now and give in. We're going to catch him and he's going to suffer for all that he's done to you, and us, and everyone he' s ever hurt."

Jane only smiled sadly and nodded. He looked like some lost puppy that'd been kicked too many times. Lisbon pulled him into another quick hug, one hand on the back of his neck gripping his curls. She'd always wanted to touch his hair… she gave her one quick squeeze and let him go.

"Let's go to my place. Lizzy probably wants to see her big brother. But I warn you, her and Johnny are definitely not in the friend zone anymore." Lisbon said laughing.

"No surprise there." Jane said smiling and they headed for the elevator.

**So this chapter was like super long. I think there might only be one or two chapters left depending on where my mind takes me, hope you guys liked it! So review please? Cuz yeah I love when you guys have stuff to say. Glad you guys are liking it so far. **

**-Liz. **


	12. Chapter 12

**So, Toolkin dealt with, thank god. Now I'm gonna have a chapter that's probably gonna be pure fluff and some other stuff. Maybe Red John, I dunno. Read and find out? But yeah. Hope you guys enjoy it. **

**Chapter 12**

**Patrick's PoV.**

Wow. Great job Patrick. Way to conceal you're feelings in that ridiculously mushy encounter with Lisbon you just had.

Lisbon was his weak spot. When he saw her lip jut out in that adorable pout of hers he couldn't deny her an explanation. How could anyone when she gave them that face? He didn't think it was possible.

Then after he hugged her he just kind of broke down. He needed her to reassure him that she would be okay. That the team would be okay. For some reason when Lisbon said they'd be okay, he knew they would be. He felt safe with her, and he loved her. He just couldn't let Red John get to her. He wouldn't let that happen. Ever.

Standing in the elevator he smiled at her, and she smiled back. It was quiet and he reached out and held her hand. Patrick didn't know what compelled him to do so, but he didn't want to let go once he did. Lisbon had looked at him in surprise but then she gave his hand a squeeze and laced her fingers through his. It was an extremely intimate and un-Lisbon like gesture. It made him smile even more.

He'd tell her one of these days, maybe even today how he felt. But he knew they wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Not until Red John was dead and his soul was rotting in Hell. If there really was such a place. Patrick had told Lisbon he was starting to believe in God and Heaven but he wasn't so sure anymore. He knew that Angela and Charlotte were out there, somewhere watching over him, and he was sure they were watching over Lisbon and Lizzy and the team too. But God? If there was a God how could he let such horrible things happen throughout the world? This couldn't have been his intention. Creating humans and then just sitting by as they destroyed each other. If it was then he'd rather there wasn't a God. Why would you want a greater power that merely watches his creation destroy itself? But then again, maybe God wasn't just sitting by and watching. Maybe he was helping through the people he created. Using people like him, and Lisbon, and Rigsby, Cho, and Vanpelt to do his duty for him. He didn't know, and decided as they left the elevator to leave those thoughts for another day.

They walked through the parking lot hand in hand, and it felt so normal to him that he barley noticed that they'd stopped in front of their cars and Lisbon was looking at him.

"Jane, you can let go of my hand now." Lisbon said shyly and blushed a little, looking down at her feet.

"Oh, umm yeah. Sorry. I'll follow you in my car." Patrick said simply, let go of her hand and got into his blue Critoen. They pulled out of the parking lot and headed to Lisbon's.

Patrick was so distracted on the way to Lisbon's that he was sure if he wasn't following her he'd have gotten lost. Thank goodness he was close to finding Red John because if he was where he was a few years ago and realized his feelings for Lisbon then, he didn't know if he'd be able to hold out. He decided he was going to tell Lisbon tonight. She needed to know how he felt, and he couldn't keep it from her any longer. He knew she felt the same way, after she comforted him and laced their fingers in the elevator he knew for sure. What they did after he told her is what he wasn't sure about. Just the act of admitting his feelings put her in so much more danger, it would provoke Red John so much more. Geez was he screwed. He had friends, the team, that he cared about more then he was willing to admit, he was in love with his Boss, and he had a recently new sister that he wasn't about to live without. Red John was going to have a field day.

No, Patrick. Enough. Red John would not get any of them, not if he found him first. And he was so close, so close that he could feel Red John's breath on the back of his neck.

They pulled into the parking lot of Lisbon's apartment building and Patrick all but ran to her threshold, jumping impatiently as he waited for Lisbon to unlock the door.

Patrick and Lisbon walked into her apartment to find Lizzy and Johnny facing each other on the couch, the movie paused, having a discussion on who was the best Batman. It was an amusing sight.

"Okay so we both agree that George Clooney was obviously the worst Batman, I mean he sucked, but there's no way that Val Kilmer was better then Michael Keaton and Christian Bale." Lizzy said crossing her arms.

"Whoa. He may not have been better then Christian Bale but he was definitely better then Michael Keaton." Johnny said shaking his head.

"Well, personally, and I think Agent Lisbon would agree with me, Val Kilmer and Michael Keaton tie and Christian Bale is the greatest Batman so far." Patrick said grinning at the two kids, and Lisbon nodded laughing.

"Patrick!" Lizzy yelled and jumped off the couch and into his arms. It was so great knowing she was alive, that Toolkin had never gotten to her. He picked her up and squeezed her tight, she, like Lisbon, was very small and he felt like he was lifting up a tiny child. Patrick spun her in a circle and she giggled.

"Hey kiddo. I've missed you." he said cheerfully.

"I've missed you too, Patrick. Having only Johnny for company was getting a little old." She said laughing.

"Hey!" Johnny said chuckling on the couch.

"Oh, I'm sure it was getting old." Patrick said winking at his little sister and she blushed. He hugged her again, and looking over her shoulder he gave Johnny the if-you-hurt-her-in-any-way-shape-or-form-i-will-kill-you look. Lisbon smiled and took off her jacket and shoes.

"Tea?" he asked as she headed towards the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'll make you some, but only if you order the take out. Chinese sound good?'' Lisbon asked them and Lizzy and Johnny nodded their heads vigorously. Patrick laughed.

They were sitting on the floor of Lisbon's living room, all four of them, stomachs full and talking abut the case. Patrick and Lisbon had told them about everything they'd been through, and how they figured it out. Lisbon even told them about how Patrick broke Toolkin's wrist and she punched him in the face when she thought Patrick was in the bathroom. When really he was seeing what she'd say when he was gone. He smiled.

Patrick brought some of the dishes into the kitchen, and threw away some empty containers. Lisbon came in not long after he did and put some containers in the fridge.

"Jane, they're asleep." Lisbon whispered and pointed into the living room. Lizzy's head was resting on Johnny's chest who was sprawled across the floor.

"I should probably go wake them up. I need to bring Johnny home to his grandfather and Lizzy back to the CBI." Patrick whispered and started towards the living room.

"Jane, wait." Lisbon whispered and grabbed his arm.

"What, Lisbon?" he whispered back.

"You guys can stay here tonight. It's late. We'll tell them to go up to the guest room and you can crash on the couch." She answered.

"Lisbon, are you sure? I can bring them home, I don't wanna be a burden." He said. Who was he kidding? Lisbon was offering for him to crash at her house. It was a dream come true.

"It's fine, Jane. I don't mind." Lisbon said gently.

They went into the living room to wake them up and sent them upstairs. They grumbled like sleepy teenagers and trudged up the stairs. Patrick watched them go. He was in total protective older brother mode. He knew Johnny wouldn't try anything but he couldn't help being a little suspicious.

"They'll be fine. I checked on them a few times last night." Lisbon assured him, touching his shoulder. Patrick nodded. So Lisbon had been in big sister mode it seems. They headed over to the couch and sat down. Patrick sighed, and turned toward his tiny Boss.

"Lisbon, I've got to tell you something." He said slowly.

"What?" she asked closing her eyes. She was tired, but he needed her to hear this. It was now or never.

"Lisbon I need you to open you're eyes. This is important." Patrick said taking her hand.

"Jane, is everything okay?" Lisbon asked, her face now creased with worry.

"Lisbon, it's nothing to worry about. It's just when Toolkin threatened you today, and I'm so close to finding Red John, I, ughhh." Patrick pinched the bridge of his nose, a gesture he picked up from Lisbon, and groaned in frustration.

"Jane what is it?" Lisbon asked gently and touched his shoulder, looking into his eyes.

"I, I just…" Patrick started but decided to just go for it. He took Lisbon's face in his hands and kissed her. It was a gentle kiss, and he was about to pull away when she put her hands on the back of his neck and kept him from moving. She deepened the kiss, her fingers playing with the curls on the back of his neck. The motion made him shiver. They finally pulled away. He looked into her eyes, breathing heavily.

"I love you Teresa. I have for a long time, but I just can't keep it to myself anymore." Patrick said quietly.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't." Lisbon said smiling, "Because I love you too Patrick Jane."

Patrick hugged her and kissed her then, and he realized that he was crying, tears of happiness were streaming down his cheeks, and Lisbon kissed them off his face.

Lisbon was sitting on the couch criss-cross apple sauce, her back against the arm of the couch, and Patrick wrapped his arms around her waste and laid his head in her lap. She ran his fingers through his hair and rubbed circles on her back.

"I wont let him get you Teresa. He won't get anywhere close. He can't. if he does I don't know if I'll be able to bear it this time." Patrick said into her shirt.

"He wont touch me. I wont let him, you wont let him, and the team wont let him. But listen to me, Patrick. If for some reason he does, you have to be strong. For the team, and for Lizzy. That little girl cares for you more then I would ever dream possible for a little girl that just met her brother 2 and a half months ago."

"But Teresa.." Patrick began.

"No, Jane." She said using his last name again to get her point across, "Promise me you'll stay strong. Promise me."

"I promise." He said looking up at her from her lap. Patrick could've laid there with her cradling his head all night, but he new she was tired and he was tired. The case had exhausted them both and they needed sleep.

"We should go to bed. Do you have an extra pillow I can use?" Patrick asked sitting up, and Lisbon just shook her head.

"Come on, Jane." She said tugging at his arm so he'd stand, "We just confessed our love for each other, we can sleep together."

"Oh really?" Patrick said raising his eyebrows.

"Just sleep, Jane." She said swatting his chest, "At least while there are still children just down the hall." she grinned at him and he chuckled. Patrick followed her up the stairs and into the bedroom, checking on Lizzy and Johnny first of course. Lizzy was curled into Johnny's chest, who had her wrapped in his arms. The sight made him smile.

When he entered Lisbon's bedroom, he felt very at home. It was so Lisbony. The walls were a light green and so were her sheets, with a dark blue comforter. The furniture was a dark red oak, and the carpet was white.

Lisbon walked out of her bathroom in only a football jersey and Patrick's legs turned to jell-o. Normally he would've controlled himself better but since they'd just confessed their love for one another, he didn't bother.

"I found some sweat pants that my brother Tommy left here, they might fit you." Lisbon said holding up a pair of black sweatpants. Patrick nodded and went into the bathroom to change. He walked out clad in only sweat pants, they rose low on his hips, showing his slight v-line. He knew Lisbon would be surprised, but pleased to know he stayed in shape. He discarded his suit on the floor next to the bed as he exited the bathroom. He grinned as Lisbon admired his decently muscled chest and stomach.

"Like what you see?" Patrick asked in a lighthearted tone.

"Who knew my lazy consultant that sleeps on the job actually stayed in shape." Lisbon said mockingly, and they laughed.

"Yeah, well you're not the only one who goes to the gym." Patrick said walking over to her, she'd been looking out the window.

"You go to the gym?" Lisbon asked.

"Well, no. But I have my ways of staying shape." Patrick said, vaguely. He could really get used to being in her bedroom with her. Alone. It did great things for his nerves. He was calm, being with her finally lifted a huge weight off of his shoulders and he actually felt relaxed.

"So, Jane, or Patrick, how is this going to work?" Lisbon asked gesturing from her to him.

"Well, Lisbon, or Teresa, I think this is going to work like any other relationship would. It's not against CBI rules, I checked like two years ago. Plus, Cho and Rigsby have been running a pool for at least a year, maybe longer. Let's just let the chips fall where they may."

"I can deal with that." She said smiling, "Gosh Patrick, I love you. It feels so good saying that out loud!"

"It feels so good hearing those words come out of your mouth." Patrick said grinning and took two quick long strides, pushed Lisbon against the window, and kissed her. This time it was different, not gentle and unsure but passionate and seductive. Lisbon's lips were like soft pillows of skin that lured in Patrick so much that he couldn't let them go, he wouldn't. She pushed her tongue inside his mouth and he groaned in pleasure. Their tongue's danced and he sucked on the tip of hers, earning a moan from her as well.

"I love you too, Teresa." He said between kisses and she smiled against his lips. But then she rested her tiny hands on his chest and pushed him away slightly.

"Teressaaaa." He whined. The things this woman did to him. Why did he wait this long to tell her how he felt again? He really was an idiot sometimes.

"Patrick, not now. Lizzy and Johnny are sleeping in the other room. I don't want them waking up to the sound of you having your wicked way with me." Teresa said.

"Oh, so you're a screamer then?" he asked closing in on her.

"Well, you're not finding out tonight." She said slipping away from him and running to the bed.

"Fine" Patrick pouted, "Scooch over, woman." Patrick slipped in beside her and pulled her small body against his chest.

"I'm warning you, Patrick Jane, I'm a snuggler." Lisbon said into the pillow.

"I am perfectly okay with that." Patrick said smiling and wrapped his arms around her waste.

She snuggled even closer to Patrick's chest, if that was even possible. She turned a little, so her cheek was pressed against his chest and her legs were intertwined with his. Patrick kissed the top of her head and she hummed a little in response. Lisbon fell asleep right away, and Patrick fell asleep not long after to the sound of her even breathing.

**XXXxxxxxTheMentalistxxxxxXXX **

Patrick woke up the next morning with the sun in his face and his Boss sprawled across his chest. Lisbon's cheek was on his chest and her torso was on his lower stomach. Her legs were tangled with his and his arms were wrapped around her waste almost twice. He'd slept through the night without waking up once. He hadn't done that in 5 years.

Teresa stirred and opened her eyes, lifter her head and rested her chin on him so she could look him in the eyes.

"Good morning." She said sleepily.

"Morning." Patrick said smiling. She scooched herself up and kissed him lightly. Patrick tightened his grip around her waste and kissed her back.

"This is probably the best thing I've woken up too since I found that I had a sister." Patrick told her.

"Well, it's pretty nice I have to admit." Teresa agreed. Then she pursed her lips and her brow creased. She was thinking. Patrick let her mull over whatever was going through her mind, looking to see how her body was reacting, to see if he could guess. But for the life of him, he couldn't. She was nervous, he got that, but why?

"Teresa, what is it?" he asked.

"Maybe,… maybe we could make this permanent? Like, you and Lizzy living here, ya know? I mean you two can't keep living in you're office in the attic of the CBI. You can stay here until you find a place of your own…" she drifted off.

She wanted him and Lizzy to live with her? After just finding out that he loved her the night before? Patrick didn't know anyone with a heart as big as Teresa Lisbon's. His eyes filled with tears that were just about to spill over the brim.

"Oh Patrick, I'm sorry… it's too soon. I understand, I, I was just worried…" she started mumbling and hid her face in his chest.

"No, no Teresa. I'm not upset and it's not too soon. I'm happy." Patrick assured her pulling her face up so she was looking at him again. "I would love to live with you, for the time being, or for as long as you wanted. I'm sure Lizzy would love to live here too, she's grown very fond of you. And waking up in your bed with you every morning? It's a dream come true."

"Really?" she asked him.

"Umm yes, woman. I love you for Christ's sake. And these sheets smell like you. cinnamon, and lilac, and Lisbon. It's wonderful." He said grinning.

"I'd love to wake up every morning next to you too. You smell like Jane. Your cologne, and vanilla, and mmm. Just Jane." Lisbon said sniffing his chest.

"I guess we're in agreement then." Patrick said, "What time is it?" he asked.

"9:00 am" Lisbon said looking at her clock, "Oh! Patrick we need to go to work!" she said struggling to get up but Patrick pulled her back down.

"Calm down, woman. It's Sunday." Patrick assured her.

"Oh." She said simply and sank back into the sheets.

"Wanna go make some breakfast?" he asked.

"Will you make eggs?" she asked looking at him with big green eyes, wide like saucers.

"Of course." Patrick said and swung his legs out of the bed, "But you still have to get out of bed. I'm not giving you breakfast in bed."

"But Jaannneeee." She complained.

"Aww no. no way. Do not pull that whiney voice on me. I tried that with you last night and you totally denied me so, give up." Jane said chuckling.

"Fine." And she looked up at him and raised her arms, "Carry me then."

"Your wish is my command milady." Patrick said bowing and lifted her off the bed, bridal style. She was as light as a feather. She definitely needed to eat more, she skipped to many meals when she was working a case. Good thing he'd be living here from now until whenever. He carried her down the stairs and set her on her feet when they entered the living room.

"About time you two got together." Patrick jumped, startled by the voice he didn't expect to hear so early. Lizzy was sitting on the couch, alone, drinking a cup of tea. She winked at him.

"Jesus, kiddo, you scared the shit outta me." Patrick said laughing. Lizzy jumped up and gave him a hug, her hands were cold and he still didn't have a shirt on and he shivered.

"Gosh, your hands are cold." Patrick said extracting her.

"Well put a shirt on." She said scrunching her nose at him.

"Well, it's the summer in California, missy, and its warm so I think I'll stay bare chested thank you. everyone else has normal body temperatures accept you my little vampire" he said rubbing her head.

"Whatever" Lizzy grumbled smiling and grabbed her empty tea cup, and brought it over to the sink.

"Hey, Lizzy, will you go wake up Johnny? Patrick's gonna make us some eggs." Teresa asked her.

"Oh, so he's Patrick now? Did you guys, ya know..?" Lizzy clapped her hands together.

"What? No! Lizzy go get Johnny!" Teresa said blushing. Patrick flicked Lizzy's ear as she ran up the stairs laughing.

"Don't worry about. She's just nosey." Patrick said chuckling.

"Patrick, she just asked us if we had sex. Why are you not worried about this?" Teresa asked.

"Teresa, she's almost seventeen years old, and she grew up in a carnival. She's a little bit more mature for her age. I'll talk to her if you want, but it's not any different then what I'd ask you if I was in her situation." Patrick told her.

"Yeah, well you're different." She informed him.

"I see." Patrick said. He gave her a quick hug and then went over to the fridge. It was practically empty. He was definitely taking this woman grocery shopping today. All that was in her fridge, were eggs, have a gallon of milk, a little orange juice and some strawberry jam.

"Teresa, when was the last time you went grocery shopping?" he asked her.

"Huh? Oh, umm, maybe a week and a half ago? I think?" she said. Patrick just shook his head. He found some cheese that was actually good in a drawer and grabbed a skillet that was hanging on the wall. They both looked up as Lizzy and Johnny made there way down the stairs. Johnny was also shirtless, in only a pair of gym shorts. The boy was tan, but thin. Only the slight resemblance of muscle on him. Patrick was sure the boy made sure his Grandfather ate before he did.

"Good morning." Johnny said groggily, scratching at his eyes.

"How'd you sleep?" Patrick asked, looking from him to Lizzy and back again.

"Great" Johnny said smiling shyly. And Lizzy glared at Patrick a little and he backed off grinning a little. Patrick cooked some scrambled eggs and the four of them ate together quietly, enjoying each other's company.

Later on that day Patrick and Teresa dropped Johnny and Lizzy off at Johnny's trailer so they could see Gramps and then went grocery shopping. Patrick bought her as much organic and healthy food as he could without her protesting.

"Jane, I don't even know how to cook some of this food!" Teresa complained as they loaded it into her fridge.

"I know, my dear, but I do." He said grinning down at her. She just shook her head smiling, and they finished putting the food away.

"You know, Agent Lisbon," Patrick said, backing her up against the wall, "I don't have to pick Lizzy up from Johnny's until later tonight, which means… we've got the house to ourselves."

"Oh?" was all she managed to choke out. Her breathing was shallow, and she was looking up at him with want in her eyes. His chest was against hers, pressing her against the wall. She swallowed, and his lips crushed hers in an instant. Her hands were everywhere, running up and down his chest, making scratches on his back. His hands were on her thighs, he pulled her up so she was in his arms and she wrapped her legs around her waste. She tightened her legs and he groaned into her throat.

"Woman, if you do that again, I'm going to take you here in the hallway, and it wont be romantic at all." He growled. She laughed, and started kissing his neck. He carried her up the stairs and dropped her on the bed, then shut the door.

**XXXxxxxxTheMentalistxxxxxXXX **

Patrick brought Lizzy back to Lisbon's and they walked inside.

"How's Johnny's Grandfather?" Patrick asked.

"He's good I guess. I think he's sick, and Johnny just doesn't want to talk about it. He's got diabetes and a little short term memory loss. He's just old. I'm worried about what'll happen to Johnny once he passes." Lizzy said, her brow scrunched in worry, not unlike Lisbon.

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. In the mean time Teresa here has got something to tell you." Patrick said, smiling down at her.

"What's up?" Lizzy asked the CBI agent as she entered the kitchen.

"Well, Lizzy, you see, I don't really think it's fitting for a teenage girl and her older brother to live in the attic of the CBI, and I love both of you I was thinking you guys could move in with me while you find an apartment. If you wanna even get one." Lisbon said slowly.

"Really?!" Lizzy asked, and Patrick and Teresa nodded.

"Yes! Yes I wanna live here with you and Patrick!" she said excitedly and practically tackled Lisbon with a big bear hug.

"Well then I guess it's settled. Welcome home." Teresa said returning the hug.

Patrick hugged them both, and gave Teresa a kiss that he hoped conveyed all of his gratitude and love towards her. They were becoming a family.


	13. Chapter 13

**I decided to make that last chapter totally fluff. This is the chapter where Red John comes in. hope you guys like it. I have no idea how well I'm going to do with this but here it goes. **

**Chapter 13**

**Lizzy's PoV.**

Lizzy was happy. Her and Patrick were going to be staying with Lisbon until they found a decent apartment that was close to the CBI and Lisbon's. Who knew how long that would take? To be honest, she didn't even care. She liked it here, and she liked Lisbon. She saw how happy she made Patrick, and how happy Patrick made her. They were like their own little family, the three of them.

"Teresa went to go return those movies, they're a day over due." Patrick said sitting down on the couch next to her.

"Oops. I guess me and Johnny got a little carried away with the Batman discussions and ended up watching them over to try and prove ourselves right." Lizzy said chuckling.

"She doesn't mind." Patrick said smiling. He'd been smiling all day really. He seemed more laid back too. Him and Teresa were much more comfortable around each other. It was ridiculous. Oh wow. They totally had sex. Lizzy grinned.

"So you and Lisbon huh? I'm happy for you Patrick." Lizzy said to her brother.

"Yeah. I figured I was close enough to catching Red John. I just couldn't hold it in anymore." He said.

"So when I was gone, ummm how should I put this? You two, uhh, danced the exotic tango?" Lizzy asked laughing.

"Lizzy!" Patrick said blushing, "You know that's none of your business." He said chuckling.

"So you did. Well, that's good. It's obviously done wonders for your nerves." She continues.

"Since when are you my shrink? You're 16, you shouldn't even be talking to me about this stuff." Patrick said swatting at her.

"Come on, Patrick. Are you kidding? I grew up in the carnival. Do you know who gave me the talk? Lady Guinevere. The Gypsy." She said, lounging back against the arm of the couch, facing Patrick.

"No way. The Gypsy? Really?" he shook his head, "I really wish I could've been in your life sooner." He said solemn all of a sudden.

"Why so you could've given me the talk?" she asked and realized he didn't smile, "Patrick, you're in my life now. That's all that matters."

"I know." He said quietly, "So, when you were living in the carnival, who.. who taught you about… you know. Puberty and stuff?" he asked slowly. Patrick must be as knew to this as a brand new parent. His daughter died when she was five, he had like 6 years before he needed to start worrying about things like this. She smiled sadly.

"Well, Lady Guinevere mostly, and Johnny's mom. But she died when Johnny was nine, so yeah.." Lizzy said looking out the window.

"Oh. I didn't know you knew his mom. I thought it was always just him and Gramps." Patrick said.

"Mostly. His mom was great. She had long red hair, and she was so pretty. She used to read us bedtime stories when I slept over. She was really nice. But an outsider joined the carnival, said he was just passing through. He shot her one night, took her money and left. They caught him eventually, but it didn't really make a difference. Johnny was left alone to take care of Gramps, and me." She'd never really talked to Patrick about her life in the carnival. Some nights when they still lived in the attic, and Patrick couldn't sleep he'd tell her about his childhood or his previous family. But she never opened up. She wasn't ready before.

"I'm sorry." He said, and then he added, "That's why Johnny was so shy around Grace. Not because he thought she was pretty and was nervous but because she looks like his mom."

Lizzy nodded. Johnny'd told her he had a hard time getting a ride to the CBI from Grace that one night a week ago.

Patrick stood up from the couch and leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead, "I'll be right back." And he started walking towards the hallway.

"Where're you going?" she asked.

"Too the bathroom. Gosh. Don't worry. I'm not leaving." He said chuckling and shut the door to Lisbon's first floor bathroom. Lizzy looked out the window again.

Huh. The little handle thing that said you had mail was sticking up on Lisbon's mailbox. She must've forgotten to check it, being distracted by Patrick and all.

"Hey Patrick! You guys forgot to check the mail! I'm just gonna go grab it okay?" she said and walked out the front door.

It was a warm evening, the sun was still setting and Lizzy breathed in the fresh air. Maybe the three of them could go on a camping trip sometime, she thought on the way to the mailbox. She'd never been camping. She made her way down the walk to the mailbox and stopped in front of it. Lowering the red handle thing she opened the mailbox lid, and gasped. On the inside of the mailbox door, facing her, was a red smiley face. She whipped her body around in time for everything to go dark.

**XXXxxxxxxxTheMentalistxxxxxx xXXX**

**Patrick's Pov**

"Hey Patrick! You guys forgot to check the mail! I'm just gonna go grab it okay?" Patrick heard his little sister yell from the living room.

What was she talking about? There is no mail on Sundays. Worry washed over him, and he rushed out of the bathroom. _She should be fine_, he thought_. She'll just be outside. I'll tell her to come in, no mail on Sundays. _His thoughts were swirling around in his head. She wasn't in the living room, he looked out the window. The mailbox was open but she wasn't anywhere.

Patrick dashed outside and skidded to a stop in front of the mailbox. He looked down at it, and his body went still. His eyes unblinking, fear coursing through his veins. He began to shake, as panic overtook him. The red smiley face that haunted his dreams was staring at him from its place on the mailbox door. Above it, inside the mailbox was one single envelope.

He removed it, he could barely open it his hands were shaking to violently. Dropping the envelope to the ground he unfolded the letter. It was on cream colored parchment, written in red ink.

_Hello, old friend, _

_ I probably would've done this slower. Caused you pain in a more, sophisticated fashion, but I don't have much time. I won't be living much longer, you see, and I wanted to get in one more dreadfully painful trick off on you before I bite the dust. You'll never find me. I'll most likely be dead by then. I mean, it's a possibility, but I doubt it. You've never been as clever as I thought you were. I've realized that. You're sister though? Oh, she' s a smart one. Just like her big brother. When I found out about her, boy was I excited. You know, Patrick, if you'd joined me it wouldn't have to come to this. I know you'll never understand why I do what I do, but let me just say this. You're sister will die. She will die a painful death, and you will never know where she is. You won't save her, and that will eat you from the inside out. It will cause you so much pain that you won't want to live any longer. If you do find her though, it'll be worse. You'll see her body mangled and destroyed, and you will cry. You're probably wondering , why you? Well, at first it was because I didn't like you. You insulted me on live television, but after a while, it was just because it was fun. Watching you squirm in mental and physical agony. It's always made me happy. And I'm going to die happy, Patrick. I promise you that. _

_ -Red John. _

Next to where Red John had signed his name was the smiley face. Patrick covered it with his thumb, and slowly sank to the ground. After a few minutes the shock passed and he ripped his cell phone out of his pocket. He hit the number 1 and pressed call. Lisbon was the first person he had on speed dial.

"Jane? I'm on my way home. What's up?" she asked, answering after the first ring.

"Teresa" he sobbed, "He's got her. Red John's got her, Teresa. He's got my little sister." Patrick was having a hard time speaking. The words came out choked and quiet. He was trying his best not to break down on the phone.

He heard her breath catch in her throat. She exhaled deeply then said, "Patrick, just stay where you are. I'm right around the corner. Just breath okay? I'm almost there. I'm going to hang up so I can call Bertram and Cho alright?"

"Mhmm" was all he managed to say before the phone went dead. Leaning against the mailbox post he pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. Still gripping the letter in his hand he rocked back and forth, quietly sobbing. Tears streamed down his cheeks, wetting his pants where his knees were. His back shook, and his breath came in desperate bouts. _What was he going to do?_

Patrick looked up as Lisbon pulled onto the side of the road, in front of her apartment. She ripped the car door open and sprinted over to where he was huddled in a fetal position on the ground. He looked up at her slowly. He watched as she took in the crime scene. The mailbox, the smiley face, the letter. He held it up to her and she took it from him reading it. Her eyes widened as she read it, and tears threatened to spill over. She crouched down beside him and took him in her arms.

"We're close, Jane. We're going to find her. I promise." She whispered. He started crying again. Sobbing against her chest. She ran her fingers through his hair and rubbed his back, trying to calm him, whispering sweet nothings into his ear. His tears slowed and eventually he was like a statue, staring at the mailbox, curled into Lisbon's embrace. Unblinking, unthinking, completely gone from the world until the sirens of a police car making its way toward them brought him out of his reverie.

Rigsby got there first, and then Cho, and Vanpelt. They all held tears back, even Cho. Lisbon helped Patrick to his feet, still supporting him, and they went inside. Lisbon made everyone accept the team stay outside. Patrick sat on the couch with Lisbon and the team stood in front of them. After a short pause, Cho broke the silence.

"What happened Jane?" he asked.

Patrick took a deep breath and looked up into the sad faces of his friends, "I was in the bathroom. Here, we stayed the night." He started, the team didn't even question it. "Lizzy yelled from in here saying that we forgot to check the mail. That she was going to head outside and get it. But there's no mail on Sundays, she didn't know that. She grew up in the carnival, they didn't have mail. I ran from the bathroom and looked out the window. The mailbox was open and she was gone. I found this letter to me from Red John inside." He said, monotone.

Cho nodded. "So, where do we start?" the stoic agent asked sitting down. Grace and Rigsby pulled chairs in from the kitchen and sat down as well. They were all quiet again, thinking.

Patrick, leaned into Teresa, and began to sort through his mind. Using every clue about Red John they'd ever figured out. The team watched him. The only thing that moved was Lisbon's hand rubbing his back, and Patrick's eyes. Darting back and forth, it looked like he was searching for something in the living room when really he was sorting through things in his mind. So far he could only come up with one thing.

"I know where we can start." He said slowly, "There will definitely be more ways to do this but it's the only way I can think of right now." He choked out.

"What is it? We'll do anything that can help." Rigsby said.

"you've read the letter, Red John is dying. He's got some kind of disease. We need to look through all the hospital records in Sacremento and then near wherever we've encountered Red John, and get the names of every man who's dying of any disease but hasn't died yet. I can look through the names and pick out the ones that stand out. Also, he hand wrote the letter. If we get handwriting from everyone that I have on the top of my Red John list we might be able to find him that way." Patrick explained.

They nodded. Their faces, every single person on that room, was set in a determined stare. Blocking off all emotion, focusing on one thing, and one thing only; catching Red John. Catching Red John so they could save the little girl that had brought them even closer together then they had ever been. The little girl they had all grown to love.

**XXXxxxxxxxTheMentalistxxxxxx xXXX**

**Lizzy's PoV.**

She knew she was close to Lisbon's. She was sure of that. She was only in the car for ten minutes, she'd counted. But she wasn't familiar enough with Sacremento to be able to determine where she was. The man removed the black hood from her head once she was inside a musty building, perhaps a basement, with very little lighting.

_How cliché, _she thought automatically. Lizzy would've assumed Red John to be a little more creative. Her ankles and wrists were bound with those plastic things that are used to tighten boxes and other things when shipping. They were digging into her skin but were too thick for her to break. She wasn't strong enough.

She'd found the corner of the room, scooching across the dirty floor, and curled up. Patrick will find her, with the team. She knew they would. Red John doesn't think he's clever enough, but then again Red John doesn't know Patrick as well as he thinks he does. She'd been sitting down there for around an hour before she heard footsteps descending the stairs at the far end of the room.

A short bulky man was walking towards her, as he got closer she could see he was white, he had blonde hair, and a very wide jaw. He looked mean, but not very bright.

"So where's Red John?" she asked bravely, even though her voice shook a little.

"Oh, he's here. He's just getting ready to see you is all." The man said.

"Tell him, he doesn't need to get all pretty just to see me." She said snarkily, trying to hide her fear.

"That's not the kind of ready I mean." The man whispered in her ear. He set a plate of food next to her. Three slices of bread and some cheese. Lizzy looked at it, then looked away. She was sure if she ate anything she'd just throw it up. He started walking away and she noticed a limp. He was favoring his left foot. And his shoulders were hunched in a very familiar way…

"Wait, have we met before?" she asked right before he got to the stairs.

"We may have." He said quietly.

"What's your name?" she asked, but the man hesitated. "Come on. You know my name, I should get the pleasure of knowing yours. Plus, won't I be dead soon anyways?" Lizzy added persuasively. Maybe if she knew who was working for Red John she could figure out who Red John was. And if she could figure it out, then so could Patrick.

"My name is Billy." He said, and went up the stairs without another word.

_Billy. She knew a Billy. _The name was so familiar but she just couldn't remember where she'd heard it. Then another man started making his way down the stairs. Very slow, and an oxygen tank clunked with each step. When he reached the bottom he turned and faced her. He was in the shadow of the light, she couldn't see his face. But his posture. She knew that posture. She'd know it anywhere. Then it hit her. Johnny had mentioned stealing Billy's bike to get to Sacremento. Billy worked at the carnival. When she heard the oxygen tank, she thought of Gramps, but he was much too old, and he was too pure hearted. She scolded herself for even thinking of that when she saw the man in front of her.

He walked towards her slowly, trudging along the floor of this basement, and his face was revealed by the small glow of light. It was the face of a man she believed to be dead.

He chuckled and said, "Hello, sweet daughter of mine."


	14. Chapter 14

**Alrighttyy you guys like that total cliff hanger? I thought that was pretty good. Hope you did too. It's getting craayyyy. Ha. Anyways, hope you're enjoying as much as I am. I'm probably going to have Jane figure out faster then you would think cuz he's kind of a genius. But yeah. No worries. There's gonna be at LEAST 3 chapters left. Sorry about the absence. I've been super busy with homework and my grandfather is in the hospital so we've been visiting him and keeping my grandmother company. But here it is! Enjoy. **** 3**

**Chapter 14**

**Lizzy's PoV.**

Lizzy's body trembled as Alex Jane looked down his nose at her. She was engulfed in fear, and disgust, and hate. How could he.. how could _he_ be Red John? She felt bile rise in her throat, and swallowed, grimacing.

"Nothing to say?" he asked tilting his head to the side, looking at her curiously.

"What would you like me to say?" she asked, "That you're a cold and disgusting bastard? That you're a murderer and to go to hell? Or that you were a terrible father?" she spat the words at him, made it so he could hear the ice and venom in her voice. She wasn't really afraid of him any longer. She hadn't been for many years. The only thing she did fear was death. Death and what her death would do to the ones she loved.

He wagged his finger at her mockingly, tsking her choice of words.

"That's not exactly the way to treat your Dad, now is it?" he said slowly lowering himself down to sit in front of her. They were face to face now.

"You… you are not my father. You were never a father to me. You were just a cruel man, that never cared for his daughter and cried over his son that hates him." She retorted.

She could see that her comment about Patrick had hurt. Like a bee sting, she saw him wince slightly.

"That's why I'm here isn't it?" she continued when he said nothing, "I'm here because you hate that your beloved son loves the daughter you despise more than his own father. You want to hurt him, cause him pain, but you're jealous. Well let me tell you this _Dad_, green doesn't suit you."

She watched as her father clenched his fists in his lap. He shook with anger.

"You, foolish child. The things I could do to you…. The things I will do to you are much worse than any words you throw at me. I'm going to kill you slowly, I'm going to watch you cry out in agony, I'm going to video tape it and give it to your beloved brother as a present from Daddy." He said, smiling a cruel and evil smile.

"You just don't get it? Do you?" she scoffed, terrified by what he was saying, she knew she needed to keep him talking, cause him as much pain with her words before he killed her. "Yes you killed Patrick's family ten years ago, and it still haunts him. But not how it used to. He wants revenge still, but he's come to terms with their deaths. He's in love again. And killing me, yes it will torture him to the bones, but his knew family, have embedded themselves in his skin and veins over the years. He'll make it through whatever you throw at him." She said, trying to sound as confident as she could.

Alex glared at her for a moment and it made her uncomfortable and she found herself squirming underneath his unwavering gaze.

"I think I know dear Patty better then you think I do." He whispered.

"That's where you're wrong. I know. I've lived with you long enough to know that you don't know anything about him really. He's not the boy you knew. Not anymore." She whispered back.

"And you learned that in the few months that you've lived with him?" he asked her, in disbelief.

"I've learned lots of things. More then you could have possibly learned the entire time you raised him. You know why? Because he loves me. He loves me and I love him. We're family." Her words were really starting to get to him. She could see the hurt behind his eyes. But she didn't feel the least bit sorry. Her father was a sick old man, that had been insane and murderous for longer then she'd even known him.

"You know _nothing_ about Patrick Jane." Her father said menacingly, getting in her face, "He leaves his family when he feels that they're holding him back. He would've left Charlotte and Angela, and he's probably going to leave you too. Leave you to die." He said almost yelling, breaking into a coughing fit, grabbing his oxygen mask and inhaling deeply. She laughed.

"You're sick. And evil. And you're going to pay for what you've done." Lizzy said looking him in the eyes.

"Not in this life." He said chuckling softly.

"Maybe not. But when you're getting you're ferry ride into hell? Ready yourself, because they're going to tear you limb from limb. Put you back together, and do it again and again." She said quietly, and so angrily and solid that she thought he almost believed it.

**Patrick's PoV.**

Patrick Jane was sitting in the center of Teresa Lisbon's living room, criss cross apple sauce, staring down at the letter he'd received from Red John that was resting in his lap. A cup of tea sat cold and untouched next to him.

"Jane?" Lisbon asked from the couch, "Patrick?" she said again when he was unresponsive. His first name broke his focus on the parchment in front of him. He looked up at her. He hadn't slept all night, he could feel the tiredness emit from underneath his eyes, and his energy slowly drain from his body with every movement.

"Yes?" he asked quietly. His voice came out raspy. Should've drank the tea, he thought.

"You're worrying me." She whispered. He'd been sitting in the same spot for a good 6 hours. It'd been a whole day since Lizzy was taken and they hadn't gotten anywhere. He'd only gotten up to use the bathroom.

"I'm sorry Teresa," he sighed, "It's just, we haven't gotten anywhere. None of the names so far are relevant. None of them. She's been gone a day, an entire day." He said choking up.

"You need sleep, Jane." She said sternly. "You can't help her if your mind isn't functioning at its best."

"The thing is… I don't know if I can. Worry and guilt and hate are swirling around in my mind and through my veins and it may only get worse and invade my dreams." He said, trying to tell Teresa how truly terrified he was over this whole ordeal.

"Just try, Patrick" she asked him quietly, "I'll be here. I'm not going to leave, I'll be your dream catcher, Patrick. I'll shoot those goddamned horrible things if I have to." She said trying to get a smile from him.

She succeeded even though it was slightly forced and very, very sad. The guilt rose in him more. He was always putting her through this. Letting her take care of him, like he was a helpless old man.

"Teresa, you don't have to do this. I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to leave, and get back in the office. Do the things you do best." He said slowly.

"Jane…" she said rising from the couch and crouching in front of him, "I am doing what I do best. Taking care of the messy but amazing man that I love."

How? How in all the world and universe could someone be so loving? He'd only known one other person since Angela that was like that, and she was being held captive by Red John. Tears started streaming down his cheeks. She wiped them away. He kissed her through his tears, ran his hands through her hair and kissed her. It was all he could do to express how he was feeling.

"Thank you" he whispered after each kiss, "Thank you for everything."

All she did was nod and they went upstairs. He needed to try and get some sleep, he knew she was right. He couldn't help Lizzy if he started hallucinating from lack of rest. He took his shirt off, still wearing the sweat pants and crawled underneath the blankets. He shivered for a moment, the sheets were cold. Teresa was in the bathroom and he tried to keep his eyes open. Alone in the bed every time they closed he saw his little sister crying out in agony or lying motionless on the floor, himself kneeling over her just as broken.

"Patrick, it's ok. I'm right here." He heard Teresa say. He opened his eyes and looked up at her from the bed, the sheets were tangled and he was sweating. "You fell asleep while I was in the shower and when I got out you were having a nightmare.." she explained to him.

He nodded. "Please" was all he said and opened his arms. She smiled a little and nodded understandingly and crawled into his arms. As soon as he closed his arms around her he calmed down. His heart rate slowed, his breathing became normal, and all those bad dreams drifted away.

"You really are my dream catcher." He whispered and fell asleep resting his head on hers, and breathing in her wonderful lilac cinnamon scent.

…

Patrick woke with a start. Lisbon was asleep next to him, but stirred when he moved. He'd heard something. Someone was knocking on the door.

"Teresa," he said sleepily, and shook her shoulder, "Teresa, someone's here."

"Really?" she asked sitting up, her hair was disheveled and her eyes half closed. He smiled. She was so adorable.

"Yeah, really. And I know this sounds silly but I'd like to answer the door together. Just in case." And she nodded. They padded down the stairs holding hands and Patrick opened the door.

He was greeted with the sight of a very nervous Johnny, looking around and tapping his foot. It didn't look like he'd gotten any sleep and his eyes were red from crying. He'd called Johnny after he filled in the team and Johnny just kind of hung up. He'd wanted to check on him but was so obsessed with finding Red John at the moment that he'd forgotten.

"Hey, Johnny I've been meaning to come see if you were okay…I've just been trying really hard to find Lizzy. Why don't you come in?" Patrick said solemnly and quietly. He stepped aside and the boy walked in.

"I'm going to go make some coffee, and tea" Teresa said suddenly and headed for the kitchen.

Patrick brought Johnny to the living room and they stood there for a moment and then Johnny erupted.

"How could you Patrick?! How could you let this happen to her?! She's all I have left! I trusted you! And he just takes her right under your nose? I don't understand.." he yelled.

"Johnny, listen. I had no idea that he even knew about Lizzy. He shouldn't know about her. I've kept her well hidden from his knowledge. Truthfully if he went after someone I loved I thought he'd go after Teresa. But we're looking. I've been trying so hard." Patrick said his voice cracking with emotion.

"You've been trying?! Really? Because to me it looks like you've just woken up from a nap! Why aren't you out there looking for her!? I thought she meant something to you!"

He yelled some more and then swung at Patrick, punching him square across the face. Then he hit his arms and his chest. Patrick let him. Then Johnny crumpled into Patrick, crying on his shoulder and they sunk to the ground. Patrick held the boy like he would hold his own son. Johnny sobbed into him and Patrick rubbed his back and brushed his shaggy hair from his face.

"It's ok. Shhh… I _will _find her. _Alive_. I promise you that. Ok? I promise."

**Whoooaaaa. It's getting intense. Hope you guys liked this chapter. 15 will be up shortly. Don't worry. Akuna Matata. Idk if I spelled that right… but yeah! Review or comment please! 33**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys. So let's get Red john caught and shit, right? Yeah you hope. You'll just have to read it and see. Ha. Rated T for a bit of language. **

**Enjoy****J**** 3**

**Chapter 15**

**Patrick's PoV**

As Patrick comforted Johnny, sitting in the middle of Lisbon's living room floor once again, tears slid down his face silently. The boy's breathing slowed and his tears eventually stopped. He looked up at Patrick and said, "I'm sorry." very quietly.

"It's okay, Johnny. I know how you feel." Patrick said looking down at him and holding him at an arms length.

Johnny wiped the remnants of tears from his cheeks and took a deep breath.

"I know you're trying. It's just…we just got her back…" he said sadly.

"I know. Trust me, I know." Patrick said standing and helped Johnny to his feet. Lisbon had stayed in the kitchen, letting them discuss in whatever way they pleased.

Patrick looked down at his feet, guilt flooding inside him once again. He rubbed at his jaw, Johnny had a pretty good arm. And he would know, he'd been punched plenty of times. He walked over to the table next to Lisbon's couch and picked up the letter that Red John had left and handed it to Johnny.

"This was found in the mailbox. So far I've been trying to place the handwriting but I can't seem too remember. That rarely happens." Patrick said in a solemn but aggravated voice.

He watched as new tears sprung up in Johnny's eyes while he was reading the letter but then a look of shock appeared as he looked over it a second time. He backed up and sat on the couch.

"Johnny? What is it?" Patrick asked rushing to sit beside him. Teresa rushed in from the kitchen.

"It doesn't make any sense…" Johnny said shaking his head.

"What doesn't?" Teresa asked.

"The handwriting.. I'd notice it anywhere, it's just…" Johnny shook his head, "I thought he died.."

"what?" Patrick and Teresa said at the same time. Maybe that's why they were having trouble finding Red John. He faked his death and they were looking for living people. Looking at the handwriting again he realized it before Johnny said it aloud.

"This is, well, this is the handwriting of Alex Jane." Johnny said looking up at them.

"Are you sure?" Teresa asked, her breath catching in her throat from shock.

"Yes. I'm positive. I've been in his trailer plenty of times. And even finished some of his crossword puzzles. It's his. You see it now too, don't you Patrick?" Johnny asked him.

Patrick nodded. "We were looking for living people. This doesn't surprise me, and I know exactly where she is." he said and headed for the door with Johnny and Teresa on his tail.

**XXXxxxxTheMentalistxxxxxXXXX **

They made it to the CBI in around six minutes. Patrick drove. He changed into a three piece suit while Lisbon filled in the team. He came down from the attic to find that Johnny was sitting on the couch alone, and the rest of the team was standing in the middle of the bullpen, exhausted, and waiting for him.

"So where is she?" Rigsby asked as soon as he was in hearing distance.

"I'm almost positive that she's at my house." Patrick said.

"In Malibu?" Teresa asked.

"No. I don't believe Red John, or Dad.. Would be so repetitive. I mean my house that I lived in when my mom was still alive. For around three years we lived in an actual house. He's trying to end our family, I'm pretty sure he'd go where it all started." he said solemnly. Why hadn't he seen it before?

Red John wasn't just killing random people. Well he was killing random people to feed his need for it, which was sick and disturbing, but Charlotte and Angela were not random. Red John was punishing him. And he was trying to punish him more.

"Why would your father do this?" Grace asked shocked.

"Because. He's angry with me." Patrick explained, "I left him because I wanted to be with Angela, and I didn't want the carnie life anymore. He feels betrayed and now that I'm taking care of a daughter that he despised, now that I love her more, well, Daddy's gotta punish his beloved son." he finished with such venom that Grace actually took a step back.

"So where's you're house?" Cho asked.

"It's not far from the carnival.. Umm it just happens to be a red house on uhh.. St. John lane. Let's say my father has been at his practice for longer then I am comfortable with." he said his face twisting in disgust.

As they were leaving, all geared up, with bullet proof vests and guns and what not, accept for him of course, Patrick pulled Grace to the side.

"Grace, will you do me a favor?" he asked.

"Sure Jane, what is it?" she asked.

"Well, I think we should take Johnny, but umm, can you watch over him? Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid, and just comfort him?" Patrick asked. He was worried about the boy. And he knew Johnny would listen to her.

"Yeah, sure. But Jane? Why me?" she asked curiously.

"Well, he'll listen to you. You remind him of his mother." Patrick said. He decided to just tell her instead of leaving her guessing.

"Oh." was all Grace said and then she walked over to Johnny and kneeled down in front him. He nodded to what she was saying. He stood and she gave him a quick hug, and they walked to the CBI van together. Patrick smiled. They were going to rescue his sister, and everything would turn out okay. He was sure of it.

**Lizzy's PoV.**

Lizzy was thirsty. So thirsty. He hadn't given her any water since she arrived in this creepy basement. Maybe it was part of his torture. She didn't know. But her throat was so dry she could barely talk. She swallowed and winced.

Her wrists and ankles were bleeding from trying to escape her bonds and the skin was peeling off leaving them raw. After she told him he'd be tortured in hell he hit her over the head with his oxygen tank. She woke hours later, her head was bleeding slightly her hair all matted and messy on one side. She was positive that she had a concussion.

Where was Patrick? She thought. She knew he would find her, she was just afraid that he wouldn't find her in time. Tears silently streamed down her cheeks and she curled into a ball and took deep steadying breaths. Her tears stung her chapped lips.

Her head snapped up when she heard the clunking. His oxygen tank and his feet slowly maneuvering themselves down the steps. Her body started to tremble. She didn't want to be hurt again, but she knew that's not what was going to happen.

"How's your head?" he asked smiling.

"Fuck you." she spat and turned away.

"Spew your foul language at me all you want. Soon enough you'll just be screaming out in agony anyways." he said nonchalantly and looked back at the stairs. A minute or two later Billy brought down a table. He set it up in the middle of the basement.

"Billy, why? You don't have to do this!" she pleaded with him as he picked her up and set her on the table. All he did was stare at her blankly. He strapped her down and she could barely move. He left the basement after turning on the lamp. It was bright but only covered a small spot above her stomach. The rest of the basement was pitch dark.

"So, got any last words?" Alex Jane asked as he pushed up her shirt to show her stomach and pulled out a knife.

She struggled and squirmed but it wasn't any use. She couldn't move. He laid the flat of the blade over her navel and she shivered. It was ice cold. He turned around and pressed some kind of button and piano music filled the room.

Then, he dug in. Sliced open her skin, dragging the blade in a weird direction. And she screamed. She screamed a dry and crackly scream. It was so loud that she was sure her throat was bleeding. He removed the knife and laughed. Then started again right next to the gash that he just made and she screamed again. It was almost like he was writing something on her skin…

She screamed out in agony, as though she were dying, the fourth time he set the knife to her skin. But then, someone started walking down the stairs.

"Billy, I told you not to bother me when I'm working" her father said frustrated and turned to look into the darkness. The person continued walking around the table, concealed in the darkness, and stopped behind her, facing Red John.

"Hello Daddy, long time no see."

**XXXxxxxxThe MentalistxxxxxXXXXXX**

**Patrick's PoV**

As soon as the team pulled up in front of Patrick's childhood home they sprinted from their cars. Patrick looked up at the house, he felt a chill. He'd had some happy memories here, but now he knew they were all a lie. The whole time he lived with his father, and whole time Lizzy lived with him, he was a murderer.

He looked up at it and the an agonizing, soul shattering scream ripped through the air. It was Lizzy, and he nearly sprinted for the door and Lisbon caught his arm.

"He can't know you're here. Don't just barge in. we don't know if anyone is helping him." she said, tears pooling a bit in her eyes. He nodded.

He looked behind his shoulder and saw Grace holding Johnny back. He was struggling but soon he just buried his face in her chest and sobbed.

The team went in first and took out the man assisting Red John who was waiting upstairs. Johnny said his name was Billy. Patrick knew they were downstairs. So he devised a plan.

He headed down the stairs, thankful for the cover of darkness. He walked around them and stood behind his sister and facing their father. He'd pulled her shirt down before he could see what he'd done. He looked down at his sister. Poor Lizzy. Tears welled in his eyes. Then he looked up at Daddy dearest.

"Hello Daddy, long time no see." he said as steadily as he could.

"Patrick?" his father asked in disbelief. Alex Jane was sick. He could see it. He probably had some kind of lung cancer.

"Indeed. Home at last" Patrick said in a monotone voice. He had no feelings for this man except hatred.

"How'd you find me?" he asked.

"Johnny helped identify your handwriting and then once I knew it was you I figured you'd take her here. Oh and by the way. You're under arrest and all that Jazz. Put the knife down." Patrick said, coldly.

"Yes." he said keeping the knife in his hand and waving it around as he talked, "I forgot about the boy. Little menace he always was. should've killed him too." He laughed and Lizzy squirmed when he said that.

"Lizzy don't move." Patrick whispered and she nodded.

"Well Patty? Aren't you going to kill me?" he asked.

"No. I'm not going to kill you." Patrick said, "If I were going to kill you then I'd torture you to death in ways that even a sick man like you couldn't bare. But that's illegal, and I wouldn't be able to take care of the family that I love. You don't deserve a quick death…" he said.

"Now Patty. Father like son? I was in middle of something. I just wanted to add a period to the wonderful one word sentence I was carving into your beloved sister." Alex said bending over Lizzy.

"Patrick!" she yelled.

"Ahh-ahh" Patrick said grabbing his arm. "I wasn't done speaking. I said you don't deserve a quick death, but I suppose you'll be getting one anyways." Patrick smiled just a bit and looked behind his father.

Rigsby came up behind Alex Jane and snapped his neck, using a military trick he learned while working arson. Alex Jane fell to the ground with thump. "He was going to cut her again. Totally reasonable." Patrick said looking at Rigsby.

"More then reasonable." Rigsby said nodding in agreement. Lisbon emerged from the darkness then and helped Rigsby and Patrick remove her binds and get her off the table. Patrick and Rigsby were holding her on either side.

"Can you walk?" Patrick asked but his question was forgotten because she flung her arms around his neck and wouldn't let go.

"Shhh.. Shhh. Lizzy I'm here. He won't hurt you anymore. I promise you. I love you so much. I'm sorry." he said and squeezed her but she winced.

"Lizzy, honey. Show us your stomach. We need to get you some medical attention." Lisbon said. She nodded. She let go of Patrick and lifted her shirt.

Scrawled across her stomach in jagged bloody cuts was one word.

J a n e

**Hope you guys are liking it! Please comment! Tell me what you think and stuff! WHOOO RIGSBY KILLED RED JOHN. Didn't see that coming didja? **

**More to come soon! **

**Liz. 33**


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been super busy. But here's the next chapter. I'm genuinely not sure when I'm going to end this. **

**Enjoy ****J**

**Chapter 16 **

**Lizzy's PoV**

Lizzy looked up at the adults standing around her as she held up her shirt. She'd realized what her father was carving into her from the beginning, she just didn't understand why. They stared at her in shock at first, Lisbon covered her mouth with her hand and Rigsby looked down at his feet.

Lizzy watched as her older brother reacted differently. He was silent, his face was trembling a little as tears quietly streaked down his cheeks. He lowered her shirt for her, then gently rested a hand on the wound.

"I'm sorry" he barely choked out. Lizzy nodded. She reached up, and held his face in her hands.

"Patrick. Listen to me. This was not your fault. It was never your fault. Ever. Not when he killed Angela and Charlotte, and not now." Lizzy told him.

"She's right Jane." Rigsby added quietly. Lizzy nodded and looked back at Patrick, "all of it, all of this, was his fault. The entire time you've been in pain, and before that, and after it, it was our father's fault. No one else's." her eyes watered too, but she didn't cry. Not then.

She let go of Patrick's face and turned to Lisbon and Rigsby. She gave him a hug around the waist, "Thank you" she whispered and he just nodded and patted her shoulder, so he wouldn't hurt her injury.

Then she hugged Lisbon, almost as tight as she hugged Patrick, not caring about her wound she squeezed through the pain.

"Come on, kid. We need to get you to the hospital." Lisbon said gently and she nodded.

She tried walking up the stairs, but found that it hurt too much so Rigsby carried her out of the building.

When they walked outside, Rigsby set her down gently, and she looked up to see the blinding lights of an ambulance, and police cars. Then she saw Cho, Grace, and Johnny running toward them.

"Hey guys" Lizzy said smiling sheepishly. Johnny went to give her a hug but Patrick intervened, "Be gentle." was all he said and then let him go. She gave Johnny a small hug, careful to avoid her injury and then she hugged Cho and Grace.

They brought her over to the ambulance. Lisbon and Jane rode with her while Grace took Johnny behind them. Cho and Rigsby stayed behind to clean up and set everything straight.

The ride to the hospital was nice. They'd given her morphine so her stomach no longer hurt and stung. Patrick held her hand and Lisbon sat next to him, her arm resting on his back. She could see Lisbon's hand in his hair, that always calmed him down.

She closed her eyes and listened to the faint beeping of machines and her heart monitor, the smooth sound of the tires speeding down newly paved roads. It was a like a lullaby. Even though she was trapped in that basement for a few days, she still felt deprived of the outside world. In that basement, everything was so quiet, not even the rustling of feet was heard.

She'd never be able to sleep in complete silence again.

When they got to the hospital she was admitted right away. The morphine hid the pain of getting stitches, and she was able to leave around three hours afterwards. Everyone would visit her tomorrow, tonight she needed to rest.

When she got home to Lisbon's apartment with Lisbon and Jane it was around 7:00, and the sun was just setting.

"Alright, let's get you changed into some pajamas and then up to bed." Patrick said to her as they entered the apartment.

Lizzy started to shake a little. The thought of sleeping alone was absolutely terrifying. Just for a little while she needed to know that she was safe.

"Hey, kiddo, what's the matter?" Patrick asked leaning down to look into her face. He put his hands on her shoulders to steady her trembling and she calmed down instantly.

"Patrick, I .. I don't want to sleep alone right now." Lizzy said looking up at him. "Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" she asked.

"Of course." he said, tears were pricking at the corners of his eyes again. She could see that he still felt guilty. It was going to take a while for her and Teresa to convince him that he is not to blame.

Once in bed, Patrick crawled next to her, on top of the covers after putting on a Queen CD, that played quietly in the background. Like she said before, she wouldn't be able to sleep in complete silence again.

Lizzy snuggled down under the covers and laid her head in the crook of Patrick's arm. He ran his fingers through the hair near her forehead and hummed along with the music. She fell asleep quickly. The motion of his fingers in her hair calmed her down. Another trait that they shared.

At some point during the night she started to have a nightmare. It was foggy around the edges, and faces were blurred. The lack of being able to understand who she was with, and where she was, was terrifying. There were only two faces that were completely clear. Hers. And Red John's. she knew his face so well, he was her father after all. She could see every single detail, every part of him, and she was so afraid. She was afraid that he didn't really die. She was afraid that she really hadn't been rescued and that she'd wake up and be in that rotten musty basement getting carved open by her beloved Daddy.

She dreamed of the cuts on her stomach. She dreamed of the moment they happened. Reliving each and every letter and screaming until her voice was gone.

"Lizzy! Hey, Lizzy! Wake up honey! Come on, shhh… wake up. Its just a dream."

She opened her eyes, to see Patrick looking down into her face. She was breathing heavy and the sheets were a tangled mess. And her stomach hurt, she needed some pain meds.

"Patrick,.." she started saying but then just broke down for the first time since they found her. She cried for a long time, Patrick rubbed her back, and whispered that everything would be okay. Soon the sobs slowed down and she wiped at the dried tears on her face.

"Teresa and I heard you screaming and I came in as fast as I could" Patrick told her.

She had screamed in her sleep? What had he done to her? He'd scarred her. That's what he'd done. But she knew that the scar would eventually fade, like all scars did, and that made her feel a little better.

"Oh" was her response. "What time is it?" she asked him.

"It's around 4 in the morning." he said, "I'll stay in here till morning if you want me to."

"What about Lisbon?" she asked.

"She can sleep alone. She's a big girl. Plus she wasn't captured by a serial killer. I was with her most of the night anyways. You fell right to sleep, so once I was sure you were alright I went to bed." Patrick explained chuckling a little.

Lizzy felt bad. Patrick and Teresa had just confessed their love for each other a week before and now she was screwing it up. They couldn't even sleep together because she needed him more. When she looked up at Patrick she knew he knew what she was thinking.

"This is not your fault. I'm in here because I want you to be ok. It's not preventing me and Teresa from being happy. I promise you." he said wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side.

"Fine. Then this," she said pointing to her stomach, "and this" she added by waving her hand in their general area, "is not your fault. You know it isn't. I know you do. You've just been blaming yourself for what happened to Angela and Charlotte for so long when really none of it's ever been your fault, and you're having a hard time accepting that." Lizzy said as quickly as she could so he couldn't cut her off.

He looked down at her, solemn at first but then he just smiled.

"Get some rest. I'll keep your nightmares away." he whispered.

"But, then who will keep yours away?" she asked, suddenly remembering all the times she'd pulled him out of one of his episodes in the attic.

"Teresa is right next door, and you're safe. That's all I need to keep them away." he answered. Not long after he said that Lizzy fell asleep in her brothers arms. She felt safe. Knowing that there were people that actually cared for her has always been what keeps her going and surviving, and it continued to do so.

**Patrick's PoV.**

For a while Patrick didn't know what he was going to do. Lizzy was having nightmares almost every night. He would hear her screaming into the night and get there faster then he'd ever gotten anywhere. He could see that Teresa was worried too. Hearing her scream out in agony, like she was being cut all over again was harder for him then having nightmares of his own.

But slowly her nightmares were subsiding. She was coming to terms with the fact that she was safe and their father was truly dead. It was reassuring and it made him happy.

Johnny was over a lot of the time. He knew that sometimes Lizzy asked if he could sleep over so him and Teresa could get a full nights sleep and Johnny would stay with Lizzy in her room. Sometimes it worked, while sometimes it didn't. Sometimes she wouldn't wake up unless she heard his voice. But like he said, they were going away. She only had one a week or maybe not at all.

Patrick had taken her to get her stitches out a few weeks after it happened. They healed remarkably well but she still had pale pink scars spelling out "Jane" on her stomach. They'd probably never go away.

He'd thought about that message that their father had written across her stomach a lot lately. At first he wasn't sure what it meant, or why he had put it there, and was worried that when Lizzy did ask him about it that he wouldn't have an answer.

And eventually she did ask, and he did have an answer.

"Patrick?" Lizzy asked him. He spun around to face her in his desk chair. They were in the attic of the CBI, it was coolest up there in the hot summertime. He saw that she had her shirt lifted up and was tracing the letters with her finger.

"What does it mean?" she asked him.

"Well, Lizzy. I don't know if we'll ever know what it really means, because he isn't here to tell us. But if I were to guess, I think it was his way of saying that even though he hates us, hated our mothers, and we hate him, we are still related. We're still _Janes_. I think he wanted us to feel his hatred and know that a member of our family is a monster." Patrick explained the best he could.

"I understand," she said, "But since I'll probably have it forever, I think I'll look at it a different way." she said.

"And what way would that be?" he asked, curious.

"I'll look at it as a symbol. A reminder that I survived, and that you saved me. _We_ are Janes. Together. We're a family, and it's a sign, something that shows that we defeated him." she said quietly.

Patrick found himself smiling. And crying, tears of happiness. His little sister could always see the good in things when everyone else couldn't. He stood from his chair and hugged her tight. After that, Lizzy never had a nightmare again.

**XXXxxxxxxTheMentalistxxxxxxXXX**

It was a Saturday. Lizzy was out spending some quality time with Rigsby. They'd become very good friends, and he enjoyed seeing them interact with one another. They went to the circus. A place that Lizzy liked better then the carnival.

Johnny and Grace had become very close over the past few weeks, she was like a big sister for him. He was happy that the boy had another adult in his life. Johnny had taken her to meet Gramps and then they were going to a baseball game.

He didn't know where Cho was.

Patrick and Teresa were alone at the CBI. It was the first time that they'd been truly alone in a long time. They were sitting on the couch in her office. Just sitting. They were holding hands, she had her eyes closed, and he had his eyes on her.

She truly was beautiful.

Her hair was always soft and shiny falling in dark ringlets around her shoulders. Her eyes were a bright green, not blue green like his own, but emerald green. They were mesmerizing and when he first met her he had a hard time making himself look away from them. Her skin was pale and smooth, her cheeks rosy in the cold or whenever she blushed. Her collar bone stuck out just a bit and he enjoyed kissing it.

As they sat on the couch, he laced his fingers with hers and rubbed his thumb across the top of her hand. He was thinking. He was thinking because his other hand, which was shoved into his pocket, was feeling the heavy weight of an elaborate yet simple engagement ring. It was small, with a silver band, an emerald sat in the center and it had three smaller diamonds surrounding the emerald, encasing it in an invisible triangle.

He just wasn't sure if now was the right time. He knew exactly how he'd do it. He was just worried that it would seem like he was proposing so soon into their relationship because he was worried he might not get another chance. And truthfully, that was part of it. But the other part was that he felt like he'd already been in a relationship with her for a long time, it was just now that he was consciously realizing it. There was a good ten years of foreplay…

In the end Patrick decided if he didn't do it now, he might not ever get around to it. So her turned to Lisbon, and he looked at her. She had no idea it was coming.

"Patrick?" she asked in a confused voice as she noticed him staring at her.

"Teresa, do you mind if I show you a magic trick?" he asked politely.

She narrowed her eyes at him, debating on whether or not this was a trick she wanted to see. Then she smiled.

"Sure why not." she shrugged and turned her body so that they were facing each other.

He grinned, then held up a quarter. "See the quarter?" he asked. And she nodded.

"Alright its going to disappear, ready?" and she nodded again. He closed his hand and opened his fingers slowly and the quarter was gone.

Then he reached for her ear, she stiffened a little, thinking that she knew exactly what was going to happen. Slowly, he removed from her ear, the ring, held between his forefinger and thumb, brought it around in front of her face and said, "Teresa Lisbon, will you do me the pleasure of becoming my wife?"

Damn. He was nervous as hell. His fingers started to tremble a little, but then as the shock subsided from her face her smile grew larger and larger and tears started to form pools in her eyes and she nodded. Nodded so vigorously he thought she'd get whiplash.

He slid the ring onto her finger and she threw her arms around his neck. He squeezed her tight and she was shaking. He didn't understand until he realized she was laughing. She was so happy and he was so happy and Lizzy was safe and he was marrying the woman he loved and Red John was dead and his heart grew and grew like the Grinch's on Christmas.

**Hope you guys enjoyed that chapter! I loved writing it! And no worries. I'm getting to the Rigspelt situation that one of you asked about. Thatnk you so much for the wonderful comments! Keep em' coming! I'll be writing more because my brother and I just finished season seven of supernatural on netflix so I'm no longer distracted. **

**Liz. 33**


	17. Chapter 17

**Well, fuck guys. I have been slacking like there's no tomorrow. I've just been super stressed with school, and I've been writing some supernatural one shots that aren't even finished, and just swlKJDBLAUGFUGWF;U. I'm super sorry you guys. But here's the LAST chapter. No worries though, there will be an epilogue. I hope you enjoy it. :DD**

**Chapter 17. **

**Patrick's PoV. **

Patrick watched as Lizzy sat on the couch in the bullpen upside down, with her head hanging off, fiddling with a stuffed hippo that Rigsby had bought her at the circus. She was telling Cho and Grace all about how astonished the circus folk were when they saw how well she dealt with the animals. Johnny had apparently taught her everything she knew. Grace smiled and asked questions while Cho chuckled.

Lisbon and Rigsby then came in from a coffee run and when everyone was in the bullpen Lisbon gave him a slight nod and he strode over. Wrapping an arm around Teresa's waste he looked at all of them and cleared his throat.

"Teresa and I would like to tell you all something." he said quietly. Grace's ear's perked up like a small puppy, Cho just looked up at them, Rigsby looked puzzled and confused and then Lizzy, Patrick saw, had a knowing smile slip onto her face.

"Well, what is it?" Rigsby asked impatiently.

"Patrick," Teresa said looking up at him and smiling, "Has asked me to marry him…and I've said yes." she held out her hand to reveal the ring and Grace and Lizzy jumped for joy, held each other's hands and giggled like school girls.

"Oh, Patrick! I'm so glad you kept your promise!" Lizzy said happily and jumped up so that she was hugging Lisbon and Patrick at the same time.

"What promise?" Lisbon asked her, and Patrick blushed a little looking away. He'd never blushed in public and he didn't intend on letting anyone see that he was. It would ruin his reputation.

"Well tell her silly" Patrick said to Lizzy, and Lizzy whipped her body around to face Teresa, excitement and happiness filling her face up like light.

"Patrick promised me he'd tell you his feelings when Red John was dead, and turns out he did it sooner which lead to this, me having the most wonderful sister-in-law anyone could ever have." Lizzy explained.

Patrick watched in awe as he saw Teresa's eyes welled with tears just a little. His little sister was really a remarkable person. He wouldn't ever get over it. Maybe not God, but someone or something, decided to give him a second chance at life, and he was blessed with a beautiful little sister that filled him with love every chance she got and the most amazing and ravishing and beautiful fiancée he could ever ask for. It was almost unsettling, because he hadn't had this much happiness in his life in a very long time.

"You made him promise… I'm wonderful?… oh Lizzy you're wonderful!" Teresa's speech stumbled out of her mouth as she brought Lizzy in for a hug and a wild giggle erupted from his sister's mouth as she returned the embrace.

"Alright, alright. I think the spotlight had been on us for long enough." Patrick said, "there's something else I would like to bring everyone's attention to." this time everyone including Lizzy and Teresa looked at him confused.

He'd mentally scolded himself for not remembering, considering he remembered everything, well almost everything. But with all that had happened with Toolkin and Red John, and his plan to ask Lisbon to be his bride the small fact had slipped his mind.

"What?" Grace asked.

"It seems, that with all the commotion that's been happening lately, we've neglected to celebrate Lizzy's seventeenth birthday." Patrick explained.

"But Patrick I told you I didn't want any-" Lizzy began but he cut her off.

"No I've given everything you've wanted accept one thing. A trip to the beach kiddo."

Lizzy beamed up at him and it made him feel so loved and happy that he could just barely remember how he'd survived life without her.

"When? When?" she asked excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Tomorrow, if that's alright with you, I wasn't sure because of you're scars but.." Patrick began but she cut him off.

"Are you kidding?! Patrick tomorrow's wonderful! But wait… will everyone else be able to come too?" she asked worriedly.

"I've already talked to Bertram and he didn't even hesitate, said we all have the day off tomorrow." Patrick said and everyone smiled so widely, they were all happy.

"It's going to be hot though, so bring you're sunscreen" He said chuckling, knowing full well that himself, Lizzy and Cho didn't really burn all that much.

"Oh goodness, I cant wait." he heard Lizzy whisper as she hugged him.

This moment, this period of time where they were all happy and slowly becoming care free? This was when things started to get better, better then they'd been for a while.

**XXXxxxxxxTheMentalistxxxxxXXX**

**Lizzy's PoV. **

"Teresa! They don't fit! What the hell am I supposed to do now?" Lizzy asked walking out of her own bathroom to stand in front of Teresa Lisbon who was perched on her bed. Her lip was jutted out in a pout and her hands hung helplessly at her sides.

"It's not that bad,.." Teresa began looking up from the frayed piece of yarn she was messing with.

"Teresa. I don't have enough bathing suit to tie it tighter in the back, this is pointless. Do you think Patrick would be willing to give me some money so we can buy a new one?" she asked worriedly.

Even though she was only held hostage by Red John, (she'd stopped referring to him as her father in her head and out loud) but she refused to eat the moldy bread that he tried to feed her, so she'd lost a significant amount of weight. She was already ridiculously thin to begin with, but now she was almost unnaturally thin, but not quite. Her bathing suit top hung low and loose and her bottoms were so baggy that her butt was the equivalence to a 93 year old hag.

"Of course I will!" they heard Patrick yell from the other side of her bedroom door. Lizzy and Lisbon rolled their eyes. He was always trying to listen in to their conversations.

"Patrick! Why do you always eavesdrop?" Lizzy asked exasperated and added a quite "Damn" at the end.

"I like hearing you bond, its wonderful" he yelled through the door again.

"Well let me change and then you can give me the money and me and Teresa, JUST Teresa, will go shopping for bathing suits." Lizzy said and heard him mutter something under his breath but couldn't make out what it was.

Lisbon chuckled and Lizzy grinned at her. Lizzy really did like Teresa. She'd never had an older sister, and if having one was like having an older brother she was more then happy to have Teresa as her sister-in-law.

They hopped into Lisbon's car after saying goodbye to Patrick, leaving him in the driveway sporting a mock sad face. They got to target not long after, roughly a 10 minute drive from Lisbon's apartment. When they walked in they were almost the only people there, which was nice but also a little bit creepy.

As they were browsing through the bathing suits Lizzy decided to start up a conversation, why not right?

"So Rigsby and Grace huh?" she said casually, and Lisbon's head snapped up.

"What about them?" Lisbon asked confused.

"Oh gosh, you don't know do you… Patrick told me you were slow on the uptake last time too apparently." Lizzy said smiling. She forgets sometimes that people don't notice all of the things that she notices. Herself, Patrick, and Cho, were the only people who know that Grace and Rigsby have started dating again. According to Cho it was "inevitable".

"They're together again aren't they?" Teresa asked looking down at Lizzy and Lizzy nodded. She noted the worry lines forming slightly in between Teresa's eyebrows.

"Don't worry, Teresa. I seriously doubt that Bertram would have the heart to make them choose between each other and the team. He's way too soft." she explained.

"good, because I wasn't about to separate them a second time, and I am not having anyone kicked off my team. We're a family now. So Bertram can go screw himself if he decides to stiffen himself up a bit." Lisbon almost growled.

"We won't let him. Patrick and I have our own ways of preventing anything too drastic from happening." Lizzy informed her, mentally adding, _some examples would be blackmail, framing him for murder, making him loose contact with the outside world…_ but she didn't bother saying those out loud and risk upsetting Teresa.

Teresa just rolled her eyes and smiled. She then held up a red bikini that was strapless, "How about this one?" she asked.

"No way" Lizzy said crinkling her nose, "Maybe for Grace, but I like having straps." she explained.

"Teresa you should get this one!" Lizzy said holding up a wonderful deep green bikini that had very thin straps that tied around the neck and tied on the sides of the bottom.

"I shouldn't…" she began but Lizzy cut her off.

"Are you kidding? You totally should! Do you realize how flustered Patrick is going to be when he sees you in this? It'll be amazing. You're the only person I know that causes him to loose his cool in public and I love it. Plus it accents your eyes perfectly." Lizzy said persuasively.

"Oh fine." Teresa said blushing a little and grabbing the bathing suit from Lizzy while looking at her feet. "But if I get this then you have to get this one." Teresa showed Lizzy a royal blue bikini, that had an extremely low riding bottom and almost triangular shaped top, it was almost as skimpy as the green one.

"If I have to make Patrick loose his cool, then you've got to make Johnny go weak at the knees. You're eyes will pop while wearing this and that poor boy won't be able to speak while you're wearing it." Lisbon said chuckling.

Lizzy blushed as well but took the bathing suit.

Teresa ended up having to come inside the changing stall with her because it was too confining and the smell was almost exactly like the one in the creepy basement where she was kept. She almost went into a panic attack.

She'd rushed out of the stall and ran up to Teresa who had already tried hers on, she was trembling and tears had threatened to spill over her eyelids, lips quivering she tried to explain to Lisbon, who just nodded and went inside the stall with her.

When they were about five minutes from the house Lizzy looked up at Lisbon and whispered, "Don't tell Patrick. About my panic attack."

"Lizzy honey, he should kno-"

"No. I don't want his guilt to come flooding back full force. You know that it will. You don't even have to lie. If he asks how the **shopping** went then you talk about the **shopping**. Its that simple." Lizzy explained.

"And if he doesn't say shopping?" Lisbon asked.

"Just use the same method accept with whatever word he uses. Its not that hard Teresa. Please?" she asked.

"Okay, okay. But if it happens again we tell him." Teresa said solidly and Lizzy merely nodded. She knew for a fact if they told Patrick about her panic attack he'd either go into some sort of guilt ridden depression or wouldn't let her leave the house… or both.

Patrick never found out about the panic attack and he didn't seem suspicious that anything had happened, so that night Lizzy breathed a sigh of relief before she went to bed.

Every night before she went to bed she would give Teresa a hug and then she'd go over to Patrick and hug him as tight as she possibly could, he would return the embrace, kiss the top of her head, and then whisper "dulcis vel nullos prorsus somniis" in Latin, which meant "Sweet dreams or none at all" in her ear. It always helped. Once she was in her room, she'd do her nightly routine, a put on a CD, a different one every night, then go to bed. Without the music or Patrick's blessing she wouldn't be able to sleep. As she's said before, she wouldn't be able to sleep in silence ever again, and that would never change.

**XXXxxxxxTheMentalistxxxxXXX**

Lizzy woke up the next morning to someone gently stroking the bridge of her nose. Her eyes slowly opened and focused on a toothy but charming smile and a mess of bushy curls.

"Wake up sleepy head." Johnny said chuckling.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Ummm… I dunno. Round' ten?" Johnny said guessing and then leaned to give her a kiss but her hand shot up to cover her mouth.

"Wha?" Johnny questioned.

"Nope" she said, her voice muffled by her hand, "I have morning breath. Lemme brush my teeth first silly." Johnny nodded reluctantly and she trudged sleepily to the bathroom, that was conveniently located next to her bed.

After brushing her teeth furiously, removing any remnants of morning breath and plaque she rinsed off her face and walked back into her room to find Johnny jumping on her bed, killing time she guessed.

"Get down before Patrick comes up here!" Lizzy giggled.

"Fine-uhh" he said and plopped down into a sitting position. "Can I have a kiss now?" he whined.

"Of course." she said smiling and they kissed. She was absolutely positive that this would never get old.

"Alright you guys! Come eat some breakfast and get ready we need to meet Cho, his girlfriend, and Rigsby and Grace at the beach by 11:30!" they heard Lisbon yell from the first floor. Lisbon was always better at the yelling than Patrick was.

Lizzy grabbed Johnny's hand and they stampeded down the stairs, laughing and yelling and when Lizzy spotted Patrick with his back to her, she jumped onto his back and linked her ankles around his waste and hands around his shoulders.

"Help! Teresa!" Patrick mock shouted in fear, "Heathen remove yourself!" Lizzy giggled wildly as Patrick dumped her on the couch, and gave her a yogurt and some granola.

They ate their breakfast in a peaceful silence and then went to go change. The boys changed in the downstairs bathroom while the girls changed in Lizzy's room.

"Are you sure this looks okay, Teresa?" Lizzy asked self-consciously.

The blue bikini bottom was hanging on for dear life to her jutting hip bones and the top emphasized her breasts as much as they could for a 34 B cup. She turned to face Lisbon who looked absolutely stunning in her green bikini, it was almost unfair.

"Lizzy you look… hot. Trust me." Teresa said, and Lizzy noticed that when they were just with each other Lisbon's girly side would come out just a little, she'd let her cop flow drop just a smidgen. It was nice.

"Well you look amazing. Patrick's going to faint when you take your cover up off. I cannot wait." Lizzy complimented her, grinning.

Lizzy threw on her yellow cover up sun dress while Teresa threw on her white one. She then tied a blue bandana around her head while Lisbon put on a sun hat and sun glasses.

Sliding on their flip flops they headed down the stairs to find the boys leaning on the island waiting for them patiently. Johnny was wearing black trunks that had dark blue Hawaiian flowers and a white t-shirt while Patrick was wearing plain white ones with black piping and a black t-shirt. Johnny had sunglasses set into his puffy curls, while Patrick's were hooked to the collar of his shirt.

"Are we ready to go?" Patrick asked smiling up at them as they came down the stairs.

"Yes! Gosh I love the beach!" Lizzy said happily and hopped down the last few stairs and Johnny caught her, his arms slinging lazily around her waste.

They piled into Patrick's blue Citroen, at his request, and headed to the beach that was closest to Lisbon's apartment.

When they pulled into the parking lot next to the beach the rest of the team plus Cho's girlfriend were waiting for them leaning against Rigsby's truck.

Rigsby bent down and lifted the gigantic cooler without effort and Grace picked up a ridiculously huge tote back and they all headed towards the waves and sand.

"So you excited to get thrown into the ocean?" Rigsby asked Lizzy slyly.

"Wha? Pfffttt.. Only if you can catch me Rigsby." Lizzy said giggling.

"You are so on kiddo" he said hefting the cooler higher in his arms to get a better grip.

Grace and Cho's girlfriend smiled at each other as they watched the encounter. Everyone loved how amazingly Rigsby and Lizzy got along. They were best friends.

The beach wasn't super crowded but it wasn't too quiet, _just perfect, _Lizzy thought smiling wide as they made their way to a spot that was empty.

Rigsby and Cho set up the umbrella three different times because each time Patrick insisted that they had done it wrong until finally they gave up and Patrick was too lazy to "fix" it by himself.

Then the guys stood up from their beach chairs and each of them removed their shirts, and to be honest, it almost unfair. Almost.

Johnny and Patrick both had wonderfully golden skin, and Patrick's hair glinted in the sunlight. All of them were finely cut and the girls couldn't help but ogle just a bit but unlike men, they were able to keep their composure much better.

The first to take off their sundresses were Cho's girlfriends who wore a simple white bikini and Grace who wore the same red bikini that Lizzy and Lisbon had saw at the store. Cho looked at his girlfriend appreciatively but not obviously while Rigsby kind of just gulped and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand nervously. Then Lizzy removed her sundress.

It felt good to feel the sun against her skin, she felt warm and happy. Removing her bandana her hair glinted in the sunlight in the same way that Patrick's did. You could still see the pale pink scars on her stomach, JANE clearly scrawled on her skin. Johnny looked up from putting some sunscreen on and dropped the bottle then hastily picked it back up. Grace and Lisbon chuckled and she blushed.

Then Lisbon removed her sunglasses, took off her sunhat and then removed her dress and set it on the back of her beach chair. She adjusted the tie in the back absent mindedly and looked up to see not just Patrick staring but Rigsby as well. Rigsby was obviously surprised not having seen his boss in anything other then jeans. But Patrick, oh Lizzy was enjoying Patrick's reaction way too much. You could actually see him looking her up and down appreciatively and the slightest of blushed graced his cheeks. He swallowed a few times before he realized he was frozen and unmoving then asked Lisbon if she wished for him to apply sunscreen to her back.

Keeping good on his promise Rigsby picked Lizzy up when she wasn't paying attention and ran her down the beach dropping her into the cold waves. She screamed and giggled and got him to give her a piggy back ride back to the rest of the gang.

Lizzy was able to engage almost everyone in a game of chicken. Who didn't play chicken while they went swimming anyways? Cho couldn't because of his back so him and his girlfriend relaxed on the sand and watched the game play out.

Lizzy was on Johnny's shoulders, Grace was on Rigsby's and Lisbon was on Patrick's . They stood in a circle and tried to knock each other over. Lizzy lost first because although she weighed almost nothing, Johnny wasn't nearly as big as Patrick and not even close to as gigantic as Rigsby so he tipped easily. In the end it was Teresa verses Grace and it was very entertaining to watch. She could see Cho grinning to himself up on the beach.

In the end Grace and Rigsby won but Patrick claimed it was because Rigsby tripped him, even though they all knew that Wayne wasn't that clever, nor did he cheat.

The adults got out of the water and relaxed in the sun not long after that. Lisbon and Grace sunbathing on their backs while Patrick and Rigsby sat next them occasionally applying a kiss or two, and making small talk. Lizzy and Johnny decided to make a sand castle, and later enlisted Patrick's assistance, he was an excellent sand castle maker.

This was probably one of the best days of Lizzy's life, and she was loving it.

"Lizzy hey, we gotta go back up the beach. The grownups want us." Johnny said grinning at her as they washed off excess sand. She looked up to see them all waving for them to come up the beach.

"Alright let's go" she said and then hopped onto Johnny's back and as he carried her to the umbrella she shouted "Hurry peasant! These people request to be graced by my presence!" Johnny chuckled loudly and Patrick lifted an eyebrow at her questioningly.

Johnny set her down and she looked to Patrick, "So what's up?" she asked.

"Well, I think it's about time to open presents." Patrick informed her.

"What? Patrick! I thought I told you I didn't want any presents!" she said, "You guys, I didn't want to bother you wi-" but Rigsby interrupted her.

"We _wanted_ to kiddo" and then he ruffled her salt dried curls.

"Alright." she sighed and sat down in her beach chair, while Johnny leaned on her knees.

It's not that she didn't want presents, but the way she grew up presents were always a burden for people. She just wasn't used to people actually being able to afford it.

"Here open ours first." Patrick said smiling down at her with an arm flung around Lisbon's shoulders. As he handed her the present she couldn't help but notice the women that eyed Lisbon and Grace enviously as they saw they Rigsby and Patrick weren't the type to admire other women while in a relationship.

They had handed her two boxes. One was medium sized while the other was small and square. She tore open the larger one and peeked inside to see a tea cup. It was the perfect size and on one side it had a picture or Lizzy's hands holding one Patricks, and the rest of it was a deep blue.

"I took that picture when you and Patrick fell asleep on the couch in the bullpen a few weeks ago." Teresa explained.

Lizzy looked up at her a smiled with so much emotion.

"Teresa… thank you. Thank you so much. I love it. I'll use it everyday, just like Patrick uses his." Lizzy told her. Teresa smiled a chuckled lightly. She then picked up the smaller box and opened it slowly. Inside was a simple silver ring, on the outside there was a small simple heart engraved and on the inside "Jane" was engraved on one side and the blessing that Patrick whispered to her every night, "Sweet Dreams or none at all" was engraved opposite it.

Her eyes began water just a little but she didn't cry. This one of the best gifts she'd ever gotten, she slid it onto her ring finger and it fit perfectly. She looked up at her brother, "Thank you Patrick. I love it." she said and got up to hug him tightly.

After she sat back down Cho and his girlfriend handed her a simple brown paper bag that contained the complete works of Edgar Allen Poe, and ever novel by Jules Vern. She was worried it was too much money but Cho assured her that they weren't expensive at all.

"Thanks Cho" she smiled gently and he nodded to her and rubbed her head affectionately.

"Oh me next! Open mine!" Rigsby said nearly jumping on the balls of his feet as if he were the one receiving the presents. He handed her a medium sized box that was a little heavy.

She opened it to find a Polaroid camera that was in perfect condition.

"I thought they stopped making these.." she thought aloud.

"They did. It used to be my moms, and I'm never going to use it so I figured you might want it. To take pictures of you're newly found family and stuff, ya know?" Rigsby explained.

"It's perfect Rigsby. Thank you." she said smiling so much now that her cheeks were a bit sore. She jumped up so he was hugging her in the air. He chuckled, spun her in a circle, and then set her down again so she could open Grace's gift.

"You don't need to take it out, just peek in the bag." Grace suggested and so Lizzy did so and was shocked to find four sets of different colored lingerie.

She gaped up at the red headed CBI agent. Grace winked and said, "Everyone needs some nice underwear." Lizzy blushed furiously, and Patrick chuckled, but Lisbon elbowed him in the ribs, so his chuckling was stunted, but she noticed it anyways.

"Uhh, here ya go." Johnny said shyly handing her a paper bag with a string handle. Peaking inside she saw that there was something square wrapped in some news paper and then there was a smaller box.

She pulled out the square and found that it was a picture frame, and inside that picture frame was a picture of Johnny and her when she was around 8 and he was around 9. She was wearing a giant red t-shirt that covered her shorts, the same red shirt she wore her first day at the CBI, and her legs were so thin it almost scared her.

Johnny was wearing a pair of holey jeans and no shirt. They were standing in front of Johnny's trailer looking up at the camera. Gramps had taken that picture from on top of the trailer and they were grinning like there were no worries in the world. Holding hands and in bare feet. She had mentioned to him that it was her favorite picture of them, it usually hung on Gramps' fridge.

"I had a copy of the one in my trailer made and framed cause I know you love it." Johnny explained.

"You're right I do love it. Oh my goodness. I remember this." she said grinning almost exactly like she was in the photo. She handed it to Patrick so he and Lisbon could see what she looked like as a little girl. She could tell Patrick was trying to hold back tears. As the adults passed around the picture and admired it she reached into the bag for the small box. She opened it to find a bracelet. It looked homemade, vaguely familiar actually. It had a thick leather band and tied in the middle was a small white heart.

"I umm, went to see Miss Violet the jewelry maker at the Carnival and she helped me carve a heart out of one of the Tiger's old teeth and set it into that leather band." Johnny explained again.

"Oh Johnny,.." she whispered bringing one hand up to cover her mouth, the other still holding it.

"I love it, oh my gosh. Help me put it on my wrist." she said and held out her arm and the bracelet which he put on her wrist and made sure it was secure. She had him put it on her right wrist which was naked before while her left one was littered with over 6 different bracelet's she'd made at the carnival.

"Thank you so much." She said wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing and appropriate but deep kiss to lips. He smiled against hers and wrapped his arms tightly around her waste.

Patrick cleared his throat. "There's only about an hour and a half of sun left. So get you're last swim in kids." he said grinning at them.

Lizzy and Johnny headed down to the waves hand in hand. This was honestly the best birthday that she'd ever experienced and she would never forget this day. Ever. It was permanently burned into the foundations of her memory palace.

**Patrick's PoV.**

Patrick watched as the kids swam in the water. He couldn't help thinking how good Johnny was for his younger sister, as he watched the teen boy kiss each of Lizzy's scars while she floated on her back in front of him.

He was decent, and smart, just a good person all around. A normal older brother would be worried for when this teen boy would move on from his little sister, but Patrick wasn't. He didn't see either of them separating for a very long time.

A lot had had happened to Patrick in the last two and a half months, it felt like two and a half years to be honest. But even though there was some extremely bad things that had took their place in that time his life truly started getting better when a scrawny toe headed girl, curls and pointed features, and as petite as could be walked into the bullpen and stuttered out her story to his awaiting ears.

People say that you don't really appreciate the things you have until they're gone, and that was true for him at first. After Red John had killed Angela and Charlotte he'd only ever realized how much he truly loved them after he watched his daughter die in his arms. But now, right now, sitting on this beach with all of the people he loved, that saying wasn't necessarily true.

For him, it was more like people don't appreciate things until you get the chance to have them. He's gotten the chance at a new life, anew beginning. He had friends, best friends, which he's never had before. And he had a wonderful little sister that brightened up his life as if he'd been living in a dark cave for years, and he had the most beautiful and amazing fiancée that he could possibly ask for. He had a second chance at love. How often does someone get that?

**FIN. **

**OKAaayyyy. So that's the end! Last chapter es fin. But hey, their will be an epilogue, I promise. I suck at endings so I hope you enjoyed it, I hope there was enough Patrick in there for you, if not let me know and I'll put a bunch of him in the epilogue. **

**Also, if you guys are into supernatural please read my Destiel fic? It's my first oneshot and my first supernatural fic and I'd really like some feedback. :D **

**Please Review! Reviews earn virtual hugs! Who doesn't want one of those?**

**With love, Liz. **


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